Belfast fee hike may force student parents to quit

Queen's University Belfast students with children may be forced to drop out due to a significant increase in childcare fees, according to the student union. The cost will triple starting in September. The university's creche fees will jump from £28 to £66 per day for full-time care, a move the student union president says is unaffordable for some. The university cited financial pressures, including reduced funding, as the reason for the increase. The student union president noted the rise particularly impacts PhD students, some of whom are considering abandoning their studies. The university offers a subsidy and a discount for returning students, but the union says it is not enough.