Feels like the places where academia doesn't require lots of money are getting fewer and fewer. e.g. university is basically free in Germany, but if your parents don't have enough money to pay for your living expenses you're going to have a difficult time. When I went to university in Germany 20 years ago, government subsidies (that are paid out as a credit btw, you always had to pay it back) were very adequate to pay for those living expensive, but apartment rents exploded since then.

On top of that, Germany's school system is rather classist, so children who aren't from wealthy or educated households are much less likely to qualify for university in the first place.