The following is a list of notable people associated with the University of Ceylon (1942–52), University of Ceylon, Peradeniya (1952–72) and University of Ceylon, Colombo (1967–1972).

• 1942-47 C. W. W. Kannangara^[2]
• 1947-52 E. A. Nugawela
• 1952-56 M. D. Banda

Ivor Jennings

Nicholas Attygalle

• V. Appapillai – Dean of the Faculty of Science^[5]
• S. Arasaratnam – lecturer of history^[6][7]
• K. S. Arulnandhy – lecturer in education^[8]
• Chandra de Silva^[9]
• K. M. de Silva – chair of Sri Lanka history^[10]
• Doric de Souza – senior lecturer in English^[11]
• Brendon Gooneratne – Head of the Department of Parasitology^[12]
• H. A. I. Goonetileke – assistant librarian^[13]
• Betty Heimann – first Head of the Department of Sanskrit^[14]
• K. Indrapala – Department of History^[15]
• Valentine Joseph – professor of mathematics.^[16]
• Stanley Kalpage – Head of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry^[17]
• P. Kanagasabapathy – professor of mathematics^[18]
• R. Kanagasuntheram – lecturer in anatomy^[19][20]
• K. Kanapathypillai – Head of the Department of Tamil^[21]
• K. Kunaratnam^[22]
• E. F. C. Ludowyk – Dean of the Faculty of Arts^[23]
• Baku Mahadeva – lecturer in mathematics^[24][25]
• Muhammad Ajward Macan Markar – professor of medicine^[26]
• A. W. Mailvaganam – Dean of the Faculty of Science^[27][28][29]
• T. Nadaraja – Dean of the Faculty of Law^[30][31][32]
• S. Pathmanathan – lecturer in history^[33]
• E. O. E. Pereira – Dean of the Faculty of Engineering^[34]
• Ediriweera Sarachchandra – lecturer in Pali^[35]
• S. Selvanayagam – assistant lecturer^[36]
• V. Sivalingam – professor of parasitology^[37]
• M. Sivasuriya – faculty of medicine^[38]
• Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah^[39]
• A. Thurairajah – professor of civil engineering^[40][41]
• S. Vithiananthan – Head of the Department of Tamil^[42]
• A. Jeyaratnam Wilson – chair of political science^[43][44]

• Ameer Ali – lecturer in economics^[45]
• Sarath Amunugama – professor of French; vice-chancellor of the University of Kelaniya^[46]
• S. Arulkumaran – professor of obstetrics and gynaecology^[47][48][49]
• S. Arasaratnam – professor of history^[6][7]
• K. Arulanandan – professor of engineering^[50]
• K. D. Arulpragasam – professor of zoology^[51]
• Ganesar Chanmugam – professor of astrophysics^[52]
• Charles Dahanayake – professor of physics, dean of Faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya^[53]
• Chandra de Silva – lecturer in history, vice provost of the Old Dominion University^[9][54]
• K. M. de Silva – chair of Sri Lanka history at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya^[10]
• Mohan De Silva – professor of surgery; dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura^[55]
• K. N. O. Dharmadasa – professor, dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Peradeniya^[56]
• George Dissanaike – professor of physics^[57][58]
• Elagu V. Elaguppillai – professor of physics^[59]
• Chitra Fernando – lecturer in linguistics, Macquarie University, Australia
• Brendon Gooneratne – senior lecturer, head of the Department of Parasitology at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya^[60]
• Sucharitha Gamlath – professor of Sinhala, dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Jaffna Campus of the University of Sri Lanka^[61]
• R. K. W. Goonesekera – professor of law, chancellor of the University of Peradeniya^[62]
• Siri Gunasinghe – professor of history^[63]
• K. Indrapala – professor of history, dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Jaffna^[15]
• Osmund Jayaratne – professor of physics^[64]
• K. N. Jayatilleke – professor of Pali and Buddhist Studies, head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya^[65]
• W. L. Jeyasingham – associate professor of geography, dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Jaffna^[66]
• Valentine Joseph – professor of mathematics.^[16]
• Silan Kadirgamar – lecturer in history and author^{[67][68][69][70]}
• David Kalupahana – professor of philosophy^[71]
• P. Kanagasabapathy – professor of mathematics, dean of the Faculty of Science at the Jaffna Campus of the University of Sri Lanka^[18]
• R. Kanagasuntheram – professor of anatomy, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Jaffna^[20][72]
• Y Karunadasa – professor^[73]
• Kusuma Karunaratne – professor of Sinhala^[74]
• Sam Karunaratne – professor of engineering, vice-chancellor of the University of Moratuwa^[75]
• R. Kumaravadivel – professor of physics, dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Jaffna^[76]
• K. Kunaratnam – professor of physics, vice-chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[22]
• Muhammad Ajward Macan Markar – professor of medicine^[26]
• M. Nadarajasundaram – professor, dean of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce at the University of Jaffna^[77]
• Gananath Obeyesekere – professor of anthropology^[78]
• S. Pathmanathan – professor of history, chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[33][79]
• Malik Peiris – professor^[80]
• V. K. Samaranayake – professor of computer science, dean of the Faculty of Science at the Colombo Campus of the University of Sri Lanka^[81]
• S. Selvanayagam – professor of geography, head of the Department of Geography at the University of Jaffna^[36]
• K. N. Seneviratne – professor of physiology^[82]
• M. Sivasuriya – professor of obstetrics and gynaecology; chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[83]
• K. Sivathamby – professor^[84][85][86]
• Muthucumaraswamy Sornarajah – professor of law, head of the School of Law at the University of Tasmania^[87]
• Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah – professor of anthropology^[88][89]
• A. Thurairajah – professor of civil engineering, vice-chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[40][41]
• A. Veluppillai – professor of Tamil^[90][91]
• S. Vithiananthan – professor of Tamil; vice-chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[92][93]
• Chandra Wickramasinghe – professor of astrobiology; director of the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology at the University of Buckingham^[94]
• Sunitha Wickramasinghe – professor of haematology^[95]
• Stanley Wijesundera – professor of chemistry; vice-chancellor of the University of Colombo^[96]
• Sumedha Chandana Wirasinghe – professor^[97]

• Gunadasa Amarasekara – author^[98]
• Nihal De Silva – novelist^[99]
• Vasantha Obeysekera – film director^[100]
• Iranganie Serasinghe – actress^[101]
• Ambalavaner Sivanandan – novelist^[102]

• Eastman Narangoda - Chairman of Seylan Bank^[103]
• J. M. Rajaratnam - Vice President of Singer Company^[104]

Jayantha Kelegama

M. J. Perera

Nihal Seneviratne

Lalith Weeratunga

• Austin Fernando - permanent secretary, Governor of Eastern Province^[105]
• Gamini Iriyagolla – civil servant^[106]
• Nihal Jayawickrama – permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice^[107]
• Jayantha Kelegama – permanent secretary at the Ministry of External and Internal Trade^[108]
• K. C. Logeswaran – permanent secretary at the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and the Media, District Secretary for Vavuniya District, ambassador to South Korea^[109]
• H. M. G. S. Palihakkara - permanent secretary, ambassador, Governor of Northern Province^[110][111]
• V. M. Panchalingam – District Secretary for Jaffna District^[112]
• M. J. Perera – permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation^[113]
• Ranji Salgado – civil servant^[114]
• Nihal Seneviratne – Secretary General of Parliament^[115]
• Bernard Tilakaratna – permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs^[116]
• Lalith Weeratunga – permanent secretary to the President of Sri Lanka^[117]
• Wickrema Weerasooria – permanent secretary to the Ministry of Plan Implementation; high commissioner; associate professor of law^[118]
• Wilhelm Woutersz – permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs^[119]

• Susantha De Alwis – ambassador^[120]
• John De Saram – diplomat^[121]
• Yogendra Duraiswamy – diplomat, District Secretary for Jaffna District^[122]
• Ahmed Aflal Jawad – ambassador^[123]
• Palitha Kohona – diplomat^[124]
• Vernon Mendis – ambassador^[125]
• A. T. Moorthy – diplomat^[126]
• Nimalasiri Silva – diplomat and civil servant^[127]

Sarath Amunugama

G. L. Peiris

Ranil Wickremasinghe

Nissanka Wijeyeratne

• Sarath Amunugama – government minister^[128]
• Felix Dias Bandaranaike – government minister^[129]
• Ronnie de Mel – government minister^[130]
• Amarasiri Dodangoda – government minister^[131]
• K. Ganeshalingam – Mayor of Colombo^[132][133]
• Lakshman Kadirgamar – Minister of Foreign Affairs^[134]
• Vikramabahu Karunaratne – politician^[135]
• M. A. Abdul Majeed – deputy minister^[136]
• G. L. Peiris – government minister^[137]
• K. Thurairatnam – Member of Parliament for Point Pedro^[138]
• Tissa Vitharana – government minister^[139]
• Ranil Wickremasinghe – Prime Minister^[140]
• Nissanka Wijeyeratne – government minister^[141]

• Mervyn de Silva – editor of The Times of Ceylon, Ceylon Daily News and Lanka Guardian^[142]
• Vijita Fernando – journalist^[143]
• K. Kailasapathy – editor of Thinakaran, president of the Jaffna Campus of the University of Sri Lanka^[144][145]
• R. Sivagurunathan – editor of Thinakaran^{[146][147][148]}

Basil Fernando

C. V. Vigneswaran

• Ranjit Abeysuriya – Director of Public Prosecutions^[149]
• John De Saram – Director of the Office of the Legal Counsel, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs^[150]
• H. L. de Silva – lawyer, ambassador^[150]
• Basil Fernando – lawyer^[151]
• Mark Fernando – Supreme Court judge^[152]
• Saleem Marsoof – Supreme Court judge^[153]
• Shiva Pasupati – Attorney General^[154]
• Satchi Ponnambalam – Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize^[155]
• H. D. Thambiah – Chief Justice^[156]
• Neelan Tiruchelvam – lawyer, academic and Member of Parliament for National List^[157][158]
• C. V. Vigneswaran – Supreme Court judge, chief minister of the Northern Province^[159]
• Upawansa Yapa – Solicitor General^[160]

• Surendra Ramachandran – consultant physician, nephrologist^[161]

• Sepala Attygalle – Commander of the Army^[162]
• Janaka Perera – Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army^[163]
• Chelliah Thurairaja – Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps^[164]

• Bastiampillai Deogupillai – Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna^[165]
• S. J. Emmanuel – Roman Catholic Vicar General of the Jaffna Diocese, president of the Global Tamil Forum^[166]
• S. Jebanesan – Church of South India Bishop of Jaffna^[167]
• Lakshman Wickremasinghe – Anglican Bishop of Kurunegala^[168]

• Hemasiri Fernando – rifle shooter, vice president of the Commonwealth Games Federation^[169]
• P. H. D. Waidyatilleka – Vice President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka^[170]

• Gamani Corea – Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development^[171]
• Cyril Herath – Inspector General of Police^[172]
• Rajan Hoole – human rights activist and lecturer in mathematics^[173][174]
• Nandasiri Jasentuliyana – Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs^[175]
• A. M. Mubarak – Director of the National Science Foundation^[176]
• Rudra Rajasingham – Inspector General of Police^[177]
• Ana Seneviratne – Inspector General of Police^[178]
• T. Somasekaram – Surveyor General^{[179][180][181]}
• Kanagaratnam Sriskandan – civil engineer^[182]
• Bala Tampoe – general secretary of the Ceylon Mercantile Union^[183]
• P. H. D. Waidyatilleka – civil engineer; senior vice president of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka^[170]