[3] Through the International Student Service in Geneva, he was able to obtain a scholarship to study at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

His doctoral work at St Andrews was supervised by Herbert Turnbull.

Whilst working at the University of Edinburgh with Professor Sir Godfrey Thomson, Ledermann was granted a DSc in 1940 for his work with Thomson on intelligence testing.

[3][4][5] He taught at the universities of Dundee, St Andrews, Manchester, and finally Sussex.

At Sussex, Ledermann was appointed professor in 1965, where he continued to teach until he was 89.