Students and families with expectations of attending a university or a technological educational institute (TEI) in Greece is a definite effort that requires sacrifices from all the family. It is estimated that the preparation of a student for the forthcoming entrance examinations to pursue Greek higher education is setting the family at least €14,000 back.
Despite going through a harsh financial crisis, offering adequate preparation for children remains a top priority for Greek parents, as the highly competitive entrance examinations for higher education lead parents — not wanting to risk the future of their children — to spend as much money as necessary. In 2013, Greek households spent €1.05 billion for their children to attend middle and high school tutoring, with the amount being decreased by only 5.4% compared to 2010.
According to data from the Association of Educational Tutors of Attica, annual costs for extracurricular programs for students in middle school (Gynmasio) start at €1,200 for six hours a week for nine months. Students attending the last grade of high school (Lykeio) have to deal with annual costs of around €3,700, if they choose to apply for the top-ranking medical and polytechnic schools that require special intensive preparation.
The expense of getting into higher education are not the only ones, as it has become a standard for parents to invest in foreign language tutors for their children. Monthly costs range there from €30 to €170, depending on the number of hours, the students per class and the level. For example, obtaining a medium-class certificate in English –like the FCE offered by the University of Cambridge— can cost up to €120 per month, while the higher-class CPE up to €180 per month. Based on research, Greek parents spend an overall amount of roughly €859.29 million on foreign language tutoring annually.
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