Trump administration plan to reduce access to some student loans angers nurses, health care groups

"Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy, public health and some other fields would face tighter federal student loan limits under the plan because it doesn't consider them professional programs. The revamp is part of Trump's Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress. While graduate students could previously borrow loans up to the cost of their degree, the new rules would set caps depending on whether the degree is considered a graduate or professional program."

"The Education Department is defining the following fields as professional programs: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology. Left out are nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene, occupational therapy and social work as well as fields outside of health care such as architecture, education, and accounting. While the plan is still being finalized, the new student loan caps would take effect next July. Why this is happening now The Trump administration says limits on graduate loans are needed to reduce tuition costs."

Federal rules would cap graduate student loan amounts and exclude many degrees from the professional designation, potentially limiting borrowing for students in nursing, physical therapy, public health and other fields. The Education Department lists pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology as professional programs while omitting nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene, occupational therapy, social work, architecture, education and accounting. The administration argues loan caps will pressure high-cost universities to reduce tuition. The Department is relying on a 1965 law for the definition and plans to implement the caps next July.

Read at www.twincities.com