"From TikTok to Instagram, to local news headlines, the plan set off a storm of online criticism as influencers and advocacy groups take issue with the supposed declassification of certain degrees. But defining programs as professional or graduate isn't a debate about social prestige or cultural characterization; it's a debate about access to student loans, and now the Education Department is saying it's time to "set the record straight.""
"The commentators are concerned about an upcoming federal rule, prompted by Congress's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, that could limit student loan access depending on what post-baccalaureate program a student enrolls in. Certain advanced degrees like dentistry, law or a masters in divinity will be eligible for higher student loans. (An advisory committee approved a draft of the rule in early November, which is slated to be formally proposed on the Federal Register in early 2026.)"
A proposed federal rule would cap loans for many advanced degrees, including master's and doctoral nursing programs, and has sparked widespread online backlash. Classification of programs as professional versus graduate determines eligibility and loan limits, making the dispute about access to student loans rather than social prestige. The Education Department called claims that nursing degrees would be excluded misinformation. The potential rule, driven by Congress's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, could restrict loan access based on post-baccalaureate program enrollment, with certain fields like dentistry, law, and divinity eligible for higher loan limits and a formal proposal expected in early 2026.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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