Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mwanakomana womufundisi anobva kuLincolnshire Wolds, Garvey akagamuchirwa pachikoro chechikwata chechikwata kuTrent College (Long Eaton) kwaakadzidza kubva muna 1916 kusvika muna 1923. Akabva apinda Emmanuel College paUniversity of Cambridge, uko kwaakaverenga nhoroondo uye akapedza B.A. mune anthropology, achigadzirira kutora bvunzo dzevashandi vehurumende, achitarisira kujoina Indian Civil Service. Akabatanidzwa mukuputsa kuramwa basa kukuru kwa1926
, uye haana kuwana nguva yokudzidzira nokuda kwomuedzo uyu, uye panzvimbo pezvo akakumbira nzvimbo muColonial Service. Akagamuchira nzvimbo muSolomon Islands Protectorate, uye akafamba nechikepe kubva kuSouthampton kuenda kuFiji muna November 1926.