What Did the 10 Richest People in the World Study at University?

Who doesn't love to gawk at the stupendously wealthy? The cars they pilot, the field-sized mansions they can call home, the yachts they use to traverse the sea and the private planes they use to glide through the air, it's no wonder people can't help but be enamored by the tools of the exceedingly wealthy. Combined, their net worth in this list alone is RM 2.921 trillion! Something people should perhaps give more emphasis towards, is what these brilliant minds studied at university. In hoping to ever emulate what they have done, we need to trace it back to where it began. Some of these billionaires dropped out of college, some earned their master's degree and one didn't even complete high school. So let's dive right into it:

Bill Gates

The man whose wealth knows no limits has been at the helm of the rich list for longer than anyone else in history (4 consecutive years, and 18 years out of the last 23). While his crown comes under threat from many on the list below him, it is only because the philanthropic entrepreneur has donated over USD 30billion to charities so far in his lifetime.Net Worth: USD 89.9 billion (RM 384.4 billion)Source: MicrosoftCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study at University?Bill Gates shockingly took up pre-law at Harvard, while also signing up for mathematics and graduate level computer science courses. He only stayed for two years, before dropping out to eventually start Microsoft.Click here to learn all about law at the nation’s no.1 university for law, Brickfield Asia College.

Warren Buffett

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 The world’s most famous investor sits third on the rich list, with his name now synonymous with sagacity. Perhaps the only facet of the legendary Buffet’s life that is more well-known is his frugality, the man still lives in a house worth 0.001% of his net worth. Wanting to concentrate on his investments having already accumulated the astonishing equivalent of USD100,000 in savings at the age of 19, Buffet was pressured into obtaining a university education by his father. He persevered, graduated and continued on his entrepreneurial charge, proceeding to take the world by storm.Net Worth: USD 73.3 billion (RM313.56 billion)Source: Berkshire HathawayCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study at University?

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Wharton University, then transferred to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
• Master of Science in Economics (Columbia University)

 Interested in studying Business Administration? Click here to learn more about studying the course at DRB-Hicom University, which offer full tuition scholarships. 

Jeff Bezos

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The reclusive billionaire who dreams of space travel while everyone else assumes the sky is the limit. Bezos hit headlines earlier last week when his value surpassed that of Gates’, only to plonk back down and plateau for him to comfortably sit at fourth. Bezos founded Amazon.com, the source of his wealth, in 1994 after making a cross-country drive from New York to Seattle, writing up the Amazon business plan on the way.Net Worth: USD 85.1 billion (RM 364 billion)Source: Amazon.comCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study at University?

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (Princeton University)

Amancio Ortega

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Before the advent of Zalora, there was ZARA, founded by Ortega and his wife in the humble town of Galicia, Spain. Fast forward 42 years and ZARA is now the world’s largest apparel retailer, making their founder the richest man in retail, leaving the likes of Michael Kors, Tom Ford and the rest trailing in his wake.Net Worth: USD 84.1 billion (RM360 billion)Age: 81Source: ZARACountry: SpainWhat Did He Study at University?Amancio Ortega did not receive a university education. He left school aged just 14.

Mark Zuckerberg

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Undoubtedly the most familiar name on the list, you are probably reading this article via his creation too! The birth of Facebook not only changed the landscape of social media forever, it had the same effect for the Zuck’s bank account. After the company went public, their stock continued to rise higher and higher, leaving Mark, aged just 33, with a staggering net worth of more than USD 70,000,000,000.Net Worth: USD 71.8 billion (RM307.1 billion)Age: 33Source: FacebookCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study at University?

• Believe it or not, Mark took up Psychology & Computer Science at Harvard, but of course dropped out in his sophomore year.

 Are you interested in computer science? If you are, click here to learn about earning a dual degree in the course with the International University of Malaya-Wales. 

Carlos Slim Helu

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Carlos Slim always knew he wanted to go into business, having started ventures when he was of an age where you and I were up early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. He however decided to take up engineering at university, later on explaining how the mathematical ability he adopted and honed during the course gave him an edge in all his business ventures later on in life, which include education, health care, industrial manufacturing, transportation, real estate, media, energy, hospitality, entertainment, high-technology, retail, sports and financial services.Net Worth: USD 67.9 billion (RM290.4 billion)Age: 77Source: TelecomCountry: MexicoWhat Did He Study at University?

• Civil Engineering at National Autonomous University of Mexico

 Click here to learn more about civil engineering at IUKL, who offer tuition waivers & scholarships of up to 100%

Larry Ellison

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A name that may seem foreign to most, but a company that is not. Larry Ellison lasted only a year at his first university, then just a semester at his second. While most would label college drop-out as a failure, Larry Ellison picked up a nifty skill during his bumpy ride through college, computer programming. While that may seem like an obvious choice now, the genius of the whole scenario was that this was in the early 1960’s, and eons before the advent of iPhone and Facebook had steam-rolled in.Net Worth: USD 61.1 billion(RM261.3 billion)Age: 72Source: SoftwareCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study at University?

• Degree in physics and mathematics, but studied at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (Dropped Out), then University of Chicago (Dropped Out)

Charles Koch

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The CEO of Koch Industries, Charles Koch and his brother aggressively expanded the company they inherited from their father and turned it into a mainstay in the business world, along with their names on the Forbes’ Billionaires List.Net Worth: USD 48.4 billion USD (RM207 billion)Age: 81Source: DiversifiedCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study At University?• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in General Engineering (MIT)• Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering in 1958• Master of Science Chemical Engineering in 1960 

David Koch

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The younger brother of the Koch clan perhaps drew inspiration from the older Koch, attending the same university he did. Both now run their business empire together and their net worth combined makes them one of the wealthiest clans in the world, yes, even compared to the Kardashian-Jenners! Net Worth: USD 48.3 billion (RM206.7 billion)Age: 77Source: DiversifiedCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study At University?• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (MIT)• Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (MIT) Click here to learn about studying chemical engineering at UTAR, Malaysia's no.2 ranked university according to THE Asian University Rankings. 

Michael Bloomberg

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The second name probably rings a bell and you’d be right if your first guess was this man was somehow involved with the creation of Bloomberg. Micheal Bloomberg was the founder of Bloomberg LP, financial software, data and media company. He even successfully ran a campaign that saw him elected the mayor of New York City, not once not twice, but thrice!Net Worth: USD 53 billion (RM226.7 billion)Age: 75Source: Bloomberg LPCountry: United StatesWhat Did He Study At University?• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Johns Hopkins University)• Master of Business Administration (Harvard Business School)