Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Dan wani fasto daga Lincolnshire Wolds, an shigar da Garvey a kan kwalejin kwaleji a Trent College (Long Eaton) inda ya yi karatu daga 1916 zuwa 1923. Daga nan sai ya shiga Kwalejin Emmanuel a Jami'ar Cambridge, inda ya karanta tarihi kuma ya kammala karatun digiri na BA a fannin ilimin ɗan adam, yayin da yake shirin yin jarabawar aikin gwamnati, da fatan shiga cikin Ma'aikatar Gwamnatin Indiya. Ya shiga cikin karya
1926 babban yajin aiki, kuma bai sami lokacin yin karatu don wannan jarrabawar ba, kuma a maimakon haka ya nemi matsayi a cikin Colonial Service. Ya yarda da matsayi a cikin Solomon Islands Protectorate, kuma ya tashi daga Southampton zuwa Fiji a watan Nuwamba 1926.