The paper examines vulnerability over the life course with a specific focus on differentials not only by age and gender - as is conventional in demography - but also by level of education and with a focus on health. The paper builds on a significant body of scientific literature which shows that changes in mental functioning, cognitive capacity and behavior that typically result from education all lead to reduced vulnerability to virtually all threats to human well-being at all stages of life. Reducing vulnerability through educational attainment should therefore be a key strategy for operationalizing international policies aimed at not only empowering people, but also providing manifold positive consequences of education at individual and social levels.