The number of students opting for a second degree has plunged by around a third since the price was increased to an average of €9,000 a year.

Currently, 22,000 students are currently taking a second degree, down from 33,000 five years ago, the Volkskrant said on Wednesday.

The government decided in 2011 to stop all subsidies for students who already have one bachelor’s and one master’s degree, arguing that this is sufficient for the labour market.

The move freed universities up to set their own fees for second degrees and this has led to wide differences between the institutions. For example, a second degree in medicine costs €32,000 in Maastricht, compared with €17,000 in Utrecht, the paper said.

The university fee for a first bachelor’s degree is around €1,900 per year.