Nursing delisted as a “Professional Degree” under new Trump bill
The administration of US President Donald Trump has removed nursing from the list of “professional degree” programs as the Department of Education prepares for major reductions in federal student loan offerings. The details are laid out in President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which introduces new federal financing rules for graduate and professional students.
Under the proposal, only students enrolled in degree programs labeled as “professional” would qualify for the higher loan ceiling of US$200,000. All other graduate disciplines would be limited to US$100,000. The programs designated as “professional” include medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, law, veterinary medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic studies, theology and clinical psychology.
Nursing and related fields such as nurse practitioner programs, physician assistant training and physical therapy were left out. The change has drawn sweeping criticism from nurses and nursing organizations, who say it could discourage students from entering the field.
Proposal unacceptable; nurses are backbone of health system – ANA
Meanwhile, the American Nurses Association (ANA), the country’s oldest nursing organization representing more than five million registered nurses, voiced strong concern over the Department of Education’s move to leave nursing out of the “professional degree” category under the upcoming federal loan rules. The group warned that the exclusion will sharply limit access to funding for graduate-level nursing programs at a time when many hospitals and clinics are struggling to keep adequate staffing.
“Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and the backbone of our nation’s health system,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President of ANA. “At a time when healthcare in our country faces a historic nurse shortage and rising demands, limiting nurses’ access to funding for graduate education threatens the very foundation of patient care. In many communities across the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas, advanced practice registered nurses ensure access to essential, high-quality care that would otherwise be unavailable. 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.”
ANA called on the Department of Education to consult nursing leaders and revise the definition of “professional degree” programs to include nursing pathways. The organization said that reliable support for nursing education is vital for maintaining safe and consistent care across the country.
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