This paper focuses on the reasons for enrolment demand in higher education in Greece through data collected from 400 students enrolled in the final year of post‐secondary education in the Athens area. Results showed that Greek students choose to follow higher studies for a number of reasons but mainly because higher education offers high‐level knowledge that creates career opportunities. Family monthly income appeared to be an influential factor in the demand for higher education in Greece since, among those students from families with a greater monthly income, those who had not passed the entrance exams for Greek universities had more opportunities to pursue higher studies abroad. This paper identifies that a more appropriate response, on the part of higher education, to the needs and demands of the labour market could help prevent employment mismatches and so minimise graduate unemployment.