- Jean-Nicolas-Sébastien Allamand (1713-1787), professor of philosophy (1747-1749) then professor of mathematics and philosophy, University of Leiden
- Lieuwe van Aitzema, historian and diplomat
- William Ames, theologian
- Willem Baudartius, theologian
- Balthasar Bekker, theologian
- Court Lambertus van Beyma, delegate of the Frisian States
- Govert Bidloo, anatomist and personal physician of William III of Orange-Nassau, Dutch stadholder and king of England
- Cornelius van Bynkershoek, jurist and legal theorist, president of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands
- Steven Blankaart Dutch physician and entomologist
- Johannes Bogerman, professor for theology, president of the Synod of Dort
- Sebald Justinus Brugmans, professor of physics and mathematics 1585
- Petrus Camper, professor of philosophy, anatomy and surgery in 1750
- Johannes Cocceius, professor for Hebrew and theology, 1643
- René Descartes (1596-1650), student (1629-1630)[1]
- Johannes van den Driesche, professor of Oriental languages at Oxford in 1575 and in Franeker in 1585
- Sicco van Goslinga, Dutch statesman and diplomat
- Willem van Haren, poet and politician
- Onno Zwier van Haren, writer and politician
- Daniel Heinsius, student and later professor in Leiden
- Tiberius Hemsterhuis, professor of Greek and history, 1720–1740
- Ulrik Huber, professor of law and a political philosopher
- Theodorus van Kooten, professor of Latin language and history, poet and politician
- Johann Samuel König, professor for mathematics and philosophy, 1744–1749
- Joannes Antonides van der Linden, physician and medical bibliographer, 1639-1651
- Sibrandus Lubbertus, professor of theology 1585-1625
- Johannes Maccovius, professor of theology in 1615, brother in law of Saskia van Uylenburgh
- Henricus Antonides Nerdenus, professor of theology 1585-1614
- Adriaan Metius, mathematician and astronomer, professor extraordinarius in 1598
- Johannes Mulder, (1769–1810) student and later professor in groningen
- Mattheus Brouërius van Nidek poet
- Jacob Perizonius, professor eloquence and history 1682-1693
- Murk van Phelsum, physician
- Herman Alexander Röell, professor of theology
- Petrus Stuyvesant (1612-1672), governor of New Amsterdam
- Jean Henri van Swinden, professor of physics and philosophy in 1766
- Christiaan Hendrik Trotz, professor of law 1741
- Johan Valckenaer, lawyer, patriot and diplomat
- Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer, professor of Greek 1741-1765
- Johannes Henricus Voorda, professor of law 1797-1802
- William IV, Prince of Orange (1711-1781), stadtholder of the Netherlands
- Eise Eisinga (1724-1828) amateur astronomer who built the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in his house in Franeker, later became professor of astronomics
Of particular to our institution is Johann Samuel König who engaged in a robust correspondence with Leonhard Euler.
