馬偕在家鄉左拉接受初級教育後，前往多倫多師範學院就讀，畢業後回家鄉擔任幾年小學教師。1865至1867年，他至多倫多的諾克斯神學院（Knox College）求學，1867年到美國普林斯頓大學神學院進修。1870年他從普林斯頓大學神學院畢業，又前往蘇格蘭愛丁堡大學跟隨知名的亞洲宣教師Alexander Duff學習亞洲語言和文化，準備擔任長老會的海外宣教師。

Mackay completed his primary education at the Woodstock Grammar School in Zorra. After his graduation in 1855, Mackay spent a short time at the Toronto Teacher’s College and subsequently became a local primary school teacher. From 1865 to 1867, Mackay studied at Knox College, Toronto. In 1867, Mackay enrolled at Princeton Seminary and graduated in 1870. He then went to Scotland and began studying South Asian language and culture under the teachings of the noted missionary Alexander Duff at the University of Edinburgh.