After his childhood, de Botton earned a place at the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of Gonville and Caius College, where he read History (1988–1991). After Cambridge, de Botton completed a master's degree (MPhil) in Philosophy at King's College, London (1991–1992).[5] He began studying for a PhD in French philosophy at Harvard University,[6] but gave up this research to write books for the general public.[7]