One of the factors that has been identified as a source of inequality in education is precisely the co‑existence of a private system, in which parents pay for quality, and the state‑run system of uneven quality, with the best schools being concentrated in the more expensive neighbourhoods and therefore less accessible to children from low‑income families.

Access to higher education is strongly influenced by social background. Many factors contribute to mobility or stability in access to higher education. The first is financial, as high enrolment fees may be an obstacle to going to university; but it is not the only one. Also taken into account are the results obtained at primary and secondary level, the ability to afford additional tutoring to have a greater chance of being accepted by high‑quality universities, and the choices made by students and their parents (dictated by the level of perception of the risk involved, the extent of familiarity with the education system and the labour market, and by how committed parents are to helping their children become economically independent, and so on).

Also the level of education still highly determine access to work: despite the economic crisis, those who have completed higher education do find it easier to get a job and on average earn higher salaries. A high level of education can facilitate access to the labour market and a good salary: despite the economic crisis, those who have completed higher education do find it easier to get a job and on average earn higher salaries. Almost everywhere in Europe there are significant differences in employment rates according to educational level.

Other Examples: Peer to Peer University: https://p2pu.org/en/

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