(LOOTPRESS) – As the U.S. Department of Education moves forward with sweeping reductions to federal student loan programs, the Trump administration is facing backlash for omitting nursing from its list of recognized “professional degrees” — a classification that determines eligibility for higher borrowing limits.
The changes are detailed in President Donald Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which restructures student loan categories and sharply restricts how much graduate students can borrow. Under the plan, only students enrolled in designated “professional degree” programs would qualify for a maximum federal loan limit of $200,000. All other graduate students would see their borrowing capped at $100,000, according to Newsweek.
The Education Department’s list of professional programs includes:
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Dentistry
- Optometry
- Law
- Veterinary medicine
- Osteopathic medicine
- Podiatry
- Chiropractic
- Theology
- Clinical psychology
Conspicuously missing are nursing, nurse practitioner programs, physician assistant studies, and physical therapy — fields that require advanced degrees and are widely considered essential to the nation’s healthcare system.
A report published by Nurse.org warned that the exclusion places an added financial burden on prospective and current nursing graduate students. “In simple terms, becoming an advanced practice nurse just got harder and more expensive,” the report stated, noting that nurses will no longer receive the financial support historically afforded to professional programs.
The decision has triggered intense criticism from healthcare advocates. The American Nurses Association (ANA) condemned the proposal, arguing that restricting access to federal loans threatens the pipeline of future nurses at a time when the country already faces shortages.
“Limiting student nurses’ access to funding threatens the very foundation of patient care,” the ANA said. “We urge the Department of Education to recognize nursing as the essential profession it is and ensure access to loan programs that make advanced nursing education possible.”
Nursing organizations warn that without sufficient financial support, fewer students may be able to pursue advanced nursing degrees — potentially worsening staffing shortages and weakening the healthcare workforce nationwide.
