Nursing gains ‘professional’ label for student loans after judge’s ruling, but theology now dropped
Summary
A federal judge blocked part of a rule from President Donald Trump's administration that limited federal student loans for nursing and similar graduate programs. The U.S. Education Department issued a temporary new rule allowing higher loan limits for these programs while it continues to challenge the judge’s decision in court.Key Facts
- The original Trump-era rule capped student loans at $200,000 for certain “professional” degrees like medicine and law, and $100,000 for others.
- Nursing and some other advanced degree programs were excluded from the higher $200,000 loan limit under the original rule.
- A judge blocked this part of the rule, allowing nursing and related fields to access the higher loan limits for the time being.
- The Education Department’s revised rule expands the list of programs eligible for higher loans to 29, including several nursing degrees.
- Theology programs were removed from the “professional” list, lowering their loan limits, but the master of divinity degree remains under the higher limit.
- The Education Department disagrees with the judge’s order but is complying temporarily while working to reinstate the original rule.
- The loan limits come from a student loan overhaul included in President Trump’s 2023 tax bill aimed at controlling rising student debt.
- Groups representing nurse practitioners and therapists sued to challenge the original loan limit rule, arguing it could force students to quit or take riskier private loans.
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