The US Department of Education recently finalized a new loan rule which unfairly excludes all post-baccalaureate nursing degree programs despite meeting the requirements of the law. The Department of Education ignored the essential role advanced practice and graduate-prepared nurses play across the U.S. healthcare system. This policy creates unnecessary financial barriers for current and future nurses at a time when communities nationwide continue to face healthcare workforce shortages and a growing demand for care.

Key Federal Financial Aid Impacts

• Borrowing Limits: Nursing degrees are categorized as standard graduate degrees rather than professional degrees. This caps annual federal borrowing at $20,500 and an aggregate limit of $100,000
• Comparison: Designated professional degrees (such as Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy) allow borrowing limits of up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 in total.
• Affected Programs: This rule primarily impacts students in all certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), nurse practitioner (NP), and clinical nurse specialist programs - as well as all graduate-level APP allied health fields.

This reclassification is facing significant  pushback from the healthcare and academic sectors due to concerns about exacerbating the national nursing shortage and limiting access to higher education.