Why U.S. Politicians Are Fighting For Free Education.

The Democrats battling it out for their party's nomination for the 2020 election all support some form of tuition-free third-level education. The concept is already in place in some U.S. states and cities that have established their own programs. It has also been in place across much of Western Europe for years.

While a U.S. undergraduate will have to fork over nearly $9,000 in annual tuition fees on average, a student in Austria, Denmark, Finland or Germany would have to pay $0. There are exceptions in Europe though and the UK is a notable one. Students in England would have to pay a maximum of just over $11,000 while fees are also hefty in Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there are none.