New Student Loan Rules โขCould Limit Funding for Nursing Students
WASHINGTON – A proposed rule change by the โขDepartment of Education could significantly impactโ financial aid access for nursing students pursuing advanced degrees, potentially exacerbating the nationS ongoing โhealthcare workforce shortage. The changes,slated too take effect July 1,2026,redefine โขwhich degree programs qualify for higher loan โlimits,and nursesโ are not explicitly included on the initial list of “professional” degrees.
Currently, students pursuing professional degrees – such asโ those in medicine and law – oftenโข rely โคon Grad PLUS loans to finance their education. The proposal eliminates the grad PLUS loan program, which the Department of Education states “has fueled unsustainable student loan borrowing.” it also introduces caps on the Parent PLUS โฃprogram, limiting borrowing to $20,000 per year per student, with a total limit of $65,000.
This shift means students in programs not designated as “professional” could โface lower loan caps. โขWhile the Department โฃof Education has not provided an exhaustive list, โฃinitial examples of professional degrees focus on fieldsโฃ like law and medicine.
The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities notes โขthat some professions not explicitly listed could still meet โthe regulatory requirements โto beโฃ considered “professional.” Tho, programs like speech-language pathology and physical therapy are specifically cited as โขpotentially impacted.
Nursing advocates are voicing strong concerns. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of theโค American Nurses Association, stated, “Nurses make up the largest segment of theโข healthcare workforce and the backbone ofโข our nation’s health system.โ At aโฃ time when healthcare in our country faces a historic nurse โคshortage and rising demands,limiting nurses’ access to โขfunding โforโ graduate education threatens โthe very foundation of patient care.”
The proposed rule impacts future โฃstudent loan borrowing and is part of broader adjustments to higher education finances and funding.