Old Eleans have achieved outstanding success in a wide variety of fields.
Notable alumni include:
- Edward the Confessor: King of England
- Thomas Willett: First mayor of New York
- Lord Browne of Madingley: Former CEO of BP
- Sir Antony Buck, QC: Conservative MP
- Nick Pope: England Football Team – Goalkeeper
- Goldie Sayers: Olympic athlete – Javelin
- Matthew Amroliwala: BBC Newsreader
- Gus Unger-Hamilton: Keyboardist in band Alt-J
- Oliver Jarvis: British racing driver
- Rupert Sanderson: Shoe designer
- Alan Yentob: Television executive, producer and presenter
- David Pickard: Director of BBC Proms, Former Director of Glyndebourne Opera
- Aschlin Ditta: Television and film writer
- Aubrey Powell: Designer
- Julian Bennett: Television presenter
- Ed Blum: Film director
- James Bowman: English countertenor and former Ely Cathedral chorister
- Nigel Colborn: Broadcaster and gardening expert
- Patrick Collinson: Historian
- Dick Everitt: Television and film producer
- Donald Kingaby: World War II flying ace
- Oliver Oakes: British racing driver
- Harry Sidebottom: Author and historian
- Dr Frances Ward: Dean of St Edmundsbury, Cathedral of Bury St. Edmunds