"The Annual Challenge"

The High Cost of Going Back to School: Who Can Still Afford It?

Lucia Figl from Tyrol in an interview with the “Krone”(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

As wonderful as summer vacation is, the start of school can be a bitter pill for parents to swallow. New notebooks, backpacks, clothes, and other supplies can quickly become a financial strain. The mother of a 12-year-old student described the challenges to the “Tiroler Krone,” saying, “The start of the school year is always a challenge for me!”

A basic back-to-school kit can cost between 100 and 300 euros. On top of that, there are additional costs that vary depending on the type of school and grade level: photocopying fees, subject-specific materials, field trips and project days, as well as parent-teacher association dues. According to the latest study on school costs, total expenses amount to around 2,200 euros per year.