It is not enough for a young person to get into university. The family must also be able to pay for them to go. And in Patras, data shows that this ability is becoming dangerously limited. Approximately 600 students were lost this year from the University of Patras, according to data provided by Rector Christos Bouras. Out of the 4,881 successful candidates, 266 never registered, while another 350 began the process but did not complete it. And behind these numbers lies a much harsher reality: High inflation has begun to determine who can study away from home and who cannot.
Admitted to university – but cannot go!
This is the paradox of our times. A student may pass the entrance exams, achieve their goal, and secure a spot in higher education, but their family finds itself facing a simple and brutal calculation: Can we afford to pay rent and all the other expenses every month? Because expenses do not stop at rent. It is the security deposit, electricity, water, internet, food, transportation, return tickets home, and everything else required for a young person to live in another city. For a family already struggling with rising prices, this can mean hundreds of euros every month. And right there, "free education" acquires a very different meaning. The university may not charge tuition, but cost of living around it has now become expensive.
Patras is no longer a cheap student town
The Rector of the University of Patras has already linked part of the losses to the cost of living and particularly to student housing. And this is not an insignificant detail. Rental housing has become a critical factor in a family's decision. The era when a parent would say "the child got in, we will find a house" is no longer taken for granted. Now calculations come first. How much is the apartment? How much will it cost per month? How much will the child need in total? Can we carry this burden? And if the answer is "no," the spot at the university remains vacant.
The 600 lost enrollments are not just a number
Obviously, it cannot be argued that all 600 cases are due to high living costs. There are other reasons as well: choosing studies closer to home, alternative educational paths, Athens, and differing priorities among young people. However, the financial problem can no longer be hidden behind statistics. When housing costs become the deciding criterion for whether a successful applicant will ultimately attend university, then inflation is not merely a consumption issue. It is a problem of social mobility and equal access to higher education.
Last year was a warning – this year is an alarm bell
Last year's picture had already shown that something was changing. The intake of new students had recorded a drop of around 40%-45% compared to the previous period. Price became the first and most important filter. The pressure was felt not only in enrollments, but also in the real estate market and economic activity surrounding the university. Characteristically, in previous years, available apartments considered "good" were rented almost immediately after the exam results were announced. Now the picture has changed. Families search more, compare more, and – above all – look at the rental price first. Patras is now witnessing the measurable consequences of a housing market and living expenses that function as a financial barrier.
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