Bertie Gladwin, Britain’s oldest student, graduates at age 91

Bertie Gladwin is a self-described "late bloomer."

The 91 year old recently graduated from the University of Buckingham with a masters degree in military intelligence — his third degree since retiring 25 years ago — and is now considering a PhD, earning him the title of Britain's oldest student.

Gladwin dropped out of school when he was 14, having lost interest in academics after being put in the "low-ability class," and became a grocer's delivery boy.

At 19, he joined the RAF. He was assigned to the Signallers and was posted in the Middle East for most of World War II. Upon returning to Britain, Gladwin became a radio communications engineer with Marconi and MI6 intelligence service.

"Most of what we handled isn't secret anymore of course, in fact I had to study some of it for my Masters," Gladwin said of studying for his military intelligence degree.

"It was a strange feeling to be reading about history in a textbook that you lived through yourself."

Because Gladwin wanted to keep his brain active in retirement, his wife, Wendy, encouraged him to try university, despite his lack of secondary-school education. He enrolled in the Open University, earning a BA in psychology in his mid-sixties and a BSc in molecular biology as he turned 70.

"It was fun," Gladwin told The Independent. "I enjoyed it — although the most difficult bit was getting to grips with the computer and the internet for my essays. I needed help with that."

At the graduation ceremony for Gladwin's third degree, Wendy received a diploma for the same course.

While Gladwin has been named Britain's oldest student, the world record for oldest student is currently held by a 96-year-old philosophy graduate from China.

"Going to university changed my whole attitude towards young people and I hope maybe I have shown them old people aren't too bad either," he told The Daily Mail.

Gladwin added, "You are never too old to learn, it's a pleasure to be able to carry on learning through your life and makes the experience all the more enjoyable."