WASHINGTON (AP) Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and several other healthcare professions will continue to have access to higher federal student loan limits after a federal judge temporarily blocked part of a Trump administration policy.
Following last week’s court ruling, the U.S. Department of Education released revised guidance expanding the list of graduate programs that qualify as professional degrees. Department officials said the change is temporary while the administration continues to defend its original policy in court.
Under the updated guidance, students enrolled in programs such as the Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice can once again qualify for federal student loans of up to $200,000. Graduate programs that are not classified as professional remain subject to a borrowing limit of $100,000.
The legal dispute centers on how the Department of Education defines a professional degree. The Trump administration had previously limited that designation to a smaller group of fields, including medicine and law, while excluding several healthcare professions such as nursing. The judge ruled that parts of the department’s interpretation did not align with the law, leading to the temporary revision.
The lawsuit was filed by eight professional organizations representing nurse practitioners, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and other healthcare professionals. The groups argued that lower loan limits could force many students to postpone graduate education or turn to more expensive private loans, especially for programs with tuition costs exceeding $100,000.
The Department of Education said it disagrees with the court’s decision and expects its original rule to be upheld. For now, however, the revised policy will remain in place while the legal challenge continues.
The updated rule takes effect Wednesday. A separate lawsuit filed by a coalition of Democratic led states challenging the graduate student loan caps is also still pending.
