Waylen studied politics and economics at the University of Manchester, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1981.[4] She remained at Manchester to undertake postgraduate studies in political development between 1981 and 1983, graduating with a Master of Arts (MA) degree.[4] She then joined Huddersfield Polytechnic to undertake her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.[4] Her doctoral thesis was titled "British capital, local capital and the role of the state in the political economy of Jamaica 1920-1940".[5] As Huddersfield Polytechnic did not have degree awarding powers, she was awarded her PhD by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) in 1988.[4]