Urgent Update: New Degree Classifications Impact Student Loans

URGENT UPDATE: The Department of Education has just announced significant changes to student loan reimbursement that will impact many aspiring professionals. Starting in July 2026, degrees deemed “non-professional” will receive reduced financial support, raising alarms among students and educators alike.

Under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will redefine which degrees qualify for higher loan caps. Graduate students will see their annual loan limits capped at $20,500, while professional students will be limited to $50,000. This change could drastically affect students pursuing critical careers in fields like nursing, counseling, and social work—often dominated by women.

The exclusion of many high-demand degrees from the “professional” category has sparked outrage. Notably absent from the list are nursing, physical therapy, and even engineering, which have traditionally been viewed as essential professions. The American Nurses Association has initiated a petition urging the Department of Education to recognize nursing as a professional degree, highlighting the potential for a nursing shortage if fewer students can afford to enter the field.

Why This Matters: The cost of higher education is already spiraling. Over the last 30 years, college tuition has doubled after adjusting for inflation, with public university costs rising by 30 percent in the past decade alone. With tuition hikes expected at some colleges this academic year, the financial burden on students pursuing degrees classified as non-professional could deter them from entering these vital careers.

Critics have voiced strong concerns regarding the impact of these new classifications. Amy McGrath, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky, stated, “Can someone explain how a theologian is considered more ‘professional’ than a nurse practitioner?” She emphasized that this policy disproportionately affects women in critical roles, suggesting it could push them out of professional careers.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) echoed these sentiments, arguing that the exclusion of nursing from professional degree definitions undermines decades of progress in health professions. Their statement emphasized the need to explicitly include nursing education as professional to support the growing health care workforce.

As this situation develops, attention will focus on how the Department of Education responds to the growing backlash. The implications of these changes could reshape the landscape of higher education and career opportunities for countless students across the country.

Stay tuned for further updates as authorities finalize the details of this urgent policy shift.