Greece's Minimum Admission Base Sparks Student Housing Costs and Inequality

The introduction of Greece’s Minimum Admission Base (EBE) has left many families facing new financial pressures after students receive university offers. For thousands of successful candidates, the university is often located hundreds of kilometres from home, prompting expenses for housing, deposits, furniture, moving, utilities and daily living that can total €840‑€1,480 per month. The high cost of accommodation in major student cities turns the admission announcement into the start of a demanding economic period for many households.

Critics argue the policy has not improved the quality of public higher education. Empty lecture halls and under‑utilised departments persist, while the reform has inadvertently pushed students toward private universities that can absorb those who can afford the fees. The shift deepens educational inequality, concentrating access on families with sufficient income and leaving students from lower‑income or remote regions disadvantaged.