More than 140 lawmakers urge nursing to be classified as ‘professional degree’

More than 140 members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Education expressing concerns with the Department’s omission of post-baccalaureate nursing programs from its proposed regulatory definition of “professional degree” programs as part of a student loan rule. The exclusion means nursing students enrolled in Master’s, PhD and DNP programs are eligible for a maximum of $100,000 in new federal loans instead of $200,000. AONL endorsed the letter and encouraged members to contact their congressional representatives, asking them to sign the letter. This AONL effort generated nearly 300 emails and phone calls. The administration maintains new loan caps are necessary to entice colleges to lower tuition rates, but department officials have said the proposal could change before becoming final as part of the federal rulemaking process. (Associated Press article, 12/12/25)