Overview
- Under the proposed rule tied to President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, professional programs would keep higher federal loan caps of $50,000 per year and $200,000 lifetime, while other graduate programs would be limited to $20,500 per year and $100,000 lifetime.
- Excluding nursing from the professional-degree list would mainly affect graduate pathways such as nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists, as Grad PLUS borrowing also ends for new disbursements starting July 1, 2026.
- The Education Department says 95% of nursing students borrow below the proposed caps and that currently enrolled graduate students will be grandfathered into existing limits.
- Nursing groups and academic leaders warn the change could bottleneck advanced-practice training and worsen provider shortages, especially in rural and underserved communities.
- The department’s list retains fields such as medicine, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine and theology, while excluding programs reported to include nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant, occupational therapy, social work, education, architecture and accounting, with publication and public comment expected before finalization.