ED plan excludes nursing from professional loans
The U.S. Education Department proposed a rule redefining 'professional degree' programs for federal student-loan caps that excludes nursing, leaving nursing, physical therapy and physician assistant programs under lower graduate borrowing limits. Beginning July 1, 2026, professional programs (e.g., medicine, dentistry, law) would have $50,000 annual/$200,000 lifetime caps, while non‑professional graduate programs would be capped at $20,500 annually/$100,000 lifetime; ED says 95% of nursing students won’t be impacted and current enrollees in high‑cost programs would be grandfathered. Nursing and other professional groups warn the change could deter enrollment amid workforce shortages.
Education Department
Student Loans and Debt Policy
📌 Key Facts
- Proposal redefines 'professional degree' and omits nursing from the eligible list
- New caps effective July 1, 2026: $50k/year ($200k lifetime) for professional; $20.5k/year ($100k lifetime) for other graduate programs
- ED says 95% of nursing students unaffected; outlying 5% grandfathered; Grad PLUS program would be eliminated under the law