WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Beginning July 1, the U.S. Department of Education will implement changes to how the federal government classifies certain nursing degrees, a move that could significantly impact how much graduate nursing students can borrow through federal loan programs.
Under the new rules, most graduate nursing programs will no longer qualify for the federal government’s “professional degree” designation. As a result, many nursing students will face lower federal borrowing limits.
The Department of Education says the changes are intended to help lower the cost of graduate programs and reduce the amount of debt students take on. Critics, however, argue the policy could discourage students from entering a profession already facing workforce shortages…