Trump Administration could restrict student loans for medical students
Higher education and health care organizations have sounded the alarm on a potential new rule from the U.S. Department of Education that could limit how much money students can borrow to pursue a degree in medicine.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this year set $200,000 as the maximum amount a student could borrow to earn anything dubbed a “professional degree” and $100,000 for graduate degrees, according to the Association of American Universities. The loan amount students can take out for a professional or graduate degree is typically far higher than what they can borrow for careers not considered part of either category, according to the association.
The problem, medical groups have claimed, is that degrees needed for multiple health care professions, such as nursing, may no longer meet that definition and students would then need to find other ways to pay for their education.
The Department of Education will publish the rule changes in early 2026 and universities and members of the public will be able to comment on them before they are finalized, according to the association.
Here’s what the changes might mean for students looking to pursue a degree in medicine.
How much does it cost to get a nursing degree?
Under the rule, nursing degrees would no longer be considered “professional,” according to the American Nurses Association.
The change could limit access to funding for those seeking a nursing degree and could undermine efforts underway to “grow and sustain the nursing workforce,” the organization said in a press release.
Depending on whether someone is attending a public or private college, the annual cost of pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing can run from $11,950 to $33,160, according to the trade publication NurseJournal. A bachelor’s degree in the science of nursing could cost almost double that, ranging from $22,390 to $52,850.
“Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and the backbone of our nation’s health system,” Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, said in a press release. “At a time when healthcare in our country faces a historic nurse shortage and rising demands, limiting nurses’ access to funding for graduate education threatens the very foundation of patient care.”
Could the loan cap affect Ohioans’ health care?
While the effects of the possible loan changes may take years to work their way through the health care system, patients could find it harder to get the medical treatment in the future.
The Association of American Universities has warned that the loan caps might intensify a nationwide doctor shortage. And aside from nurses and doctors, the changes could also mean there are fewer physician assistants, nurse practitioners and audiologists practicing medicine down the road.
Along with limiting access to funding, the potential adjustments fail to take into account that students who earn degrees in medicine and other high-demand professional fields tend to default less on their loans than other graduates, according to the Association of American Universities.
Dispatch investigative reporter Max Filby can be reached by email at [email protected]. Find him on X at the handle @MaxFilby or on Facebook at @ReporterMaxFilby.
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