The Reverend Martin Luther King, Prince Bernhard, the former Minister of Finance, Gerrit Zalm, writer Gerrit Krol, chemical assistant Gerrit de Vries and meteorologist Herman Bijvoet. However diverse this list of names may be, there is one thing they have in common: they have all made outstanding contributions in the field of science, politics or culture and have been awarded with honorary doctorates by VU Amsterdam between 1930 and the present day.
In 2007 the book 'Het is ons een eer en een genoegen' (dutch) of Wim Berkelaar was published. The book provides an overview of the honory doctorates awarded between 1930 and 2007 and an extensive background report.
Below is a list of all recipients of honorary doctorates to date:
| Name | Year | Faculty | |
 | Karen Armstrong
| 2017
| FRT
|
 | Jaap Goudsmit
| 2016
| VUmc
|
 | Herta Flor
| 2015
| FGB
|
 | Fons Orrie
| 2015
| LAW
|
 | Herman van Rompuy
| 2015
| FGW
|
 | Helen Longino | 2014 | FGW
|
 | Kathleen Thelen | 2013 | FSS |
 | Peter Kapitein | 2012 | VUmc |
 | Rem Koolhaas | 2012 | FGW
|
 | Timothy Noakes | 2011 | FGB |
 | Dennis J. Selkoe | 2010 | VUmc |
 | Michael Tonry | 2010 | LAW |
 | Timothy Berners Lee | 2009 | SCIENCE |
 | Gerrit Zalm | 2008 | SBE |
 | N.P. Wolterstorff | 2007 | FGW
|
 | D.B. Shanley | 2006 | ACTA |
 | I.G. Chalmers | 2006 | VUmc |
| J. Martin | 2005 | FSS |
 | G. Krol | 2005 | FGW
|
 | J.M. Hull | 2005 | FGB |
| A. Bos | 2005 | LAW |
| J.H. Waller-Hunter | 2005 | SCIENCE |
 | H. Oosterhuis | 2002 | FRT |
| K. Knip | 2002 | SCIENCE
|
 | L.J. Eaves | 2000 | FGB |
 | C. Foias | 2000 | SCIENCE
|
 | I. Fernandez | 2000 | VUmc |
 | K. Ward | 2000 | FRT |
 | M.T. Turvey | 1995 | FGB |
 | A. Plantinga | 1995 | FGW |
 | G. de Vries | 1995 | SCIENCE |
 | N.S. Ndebele | 1995 | LAW |
 | E. Cardenal | 1990 | FGW
|
| C. Sprey | 1990 | SCIENCE
|
| L. Wilardjo | 1990 | SCIENCE |
| D. Hoogendoorn | 1990 | VUmc |
 | A.I. Koryagin | 1988 | LAW |
| Oe. H. Kapita | 1985 | FRT |
 | R. Girard | 1985 | FGW
|
| J.P. Horder | 1985 | VUmc |
 | S. Kruyt | 1980 | VUmc |
 | F.E.R. de Maar | 1980 | VUmc |
| Y.T. Hien | 1980 | LAW |
 | J. Miguez Bonino | 1980 | FRT |
 | H. Algra | 1980 | FSS |
 | A.B. Frielink | 1980 | SBE |
 | G. Duby | 1980 | FGW
|
 | C.F. Barnaby | 1980 | SCIENCE |
 | A.G.M. van Melsen | 1980 | SCIENCE |
 | Dom Helder Pessoa Camara | 1975 | FSS |
 | H.C. Bijvoet | 1975 | SCIENCE |
 | C.F. von Weiszäcker | 1975 | LAW |
 | C.F. Beyers Naudé | 1972 | FRT |
 | O. Notohamidjojo | 1972 | LAW |
 | M. Ruppert | 1970 | LAW |
 | T.S.G. Mulia | 1966 | FRT |
 | M. Luther King jr. | 1965 | FSS |
 | P. Hoffmann | 1965 | SBE |
 | Z.K.H. Bernhard Prins der Nederlanden Prins van Lippe Biesterveld | 1965 | SBE |
 | C. Rijnsdorp | 1965 | LAW |
 | E. Jonckheer | 1965 | LAW |
 | J. Ellul | 1965 | LAW |
 | A.A.L. Rutgers | 1959 | LAW |
 | H.W. Tilanus | 1958 | LAW |
 | E.G. Léonard | 1955 | FRT |
 | Joh. C. van Rooy | 1952 | FGW |
| A.J. van der Merwe | 1952 | FGW |
 | J. Schouten | 1950 | LAW |
 | J. Bohatec | 1950 | LAW |
 | Max H. Huber | 1950 | LAW |
 | J.J.C. van Dijk | 1938 | LAW |
 | J.C. Rullmann | 1930 | FRT |
 | D. Bakker | 1930 | FRT |
| J. Sebestijen | 1930 | LAW |
 | Hendrikus Colijn | 1930 | LAW |