Nursing Students Outraged After New Federal Rule Cuts Loan Eligibility

A wave of public anger is sweeping across the country after the Department of Education announced that nursing will not be classified as a “professional degree” under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The decision carries major consequences: students in approved professional programs can receive up to $200,000 in federal loans, while all other fields — including nursing — are capped at $100,000.

A Blow to Future Nurses

More than 260,000 students are currently enrolled in BSN programs and over 42,000 are pursuing associate degrees in nursing. Healthcare leaders warn that the ruling may discourage thousands from entering the field, worsening an already severe nationwide shortage.

Dr. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, issued a stark warning:

“Nurses are the backbone of America’s healthcare system. This will prevent people from entering nursing education, including those training the next generation.”

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing echoed the alarm, arguing that excluding nursing undermines decades of progress toward parity with other medical professions.

“If finalized, this proposal would be disastrous for an already strained workforce.”

Federal Officials Push Back

The Department of Education, however, insists it is following long-standing definitions. Spokesperson Ellen Keast stated that institutions simply object to losing the ability to charge unlimited tuition.

What Qualifies as a Professional Degree?

Under the ruling, qualifying fields include medicine, pharmacy, law, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic care, theology, and clinical psychology — but not nursing, despite its direct link to licensure and hands-on patient care.

The debate now hangs in the balance, with millions watching what comes next for America’s most trusted profession.