The cost of attaining a master’s degree reached €148,000 in 2012, according to figures from the central statistics office CBS.

The figure applies to what the CBS calls the ‘standard route’, which includes having to resit a year or other delays, most of which occur in the final phase.

Without delays, a master’s degree costs €15,000, says the CBS.

The cost is made up of money paid by the government, companies and households to educational establishments, together with salaries and the cost of overseeing companies offering work experience.