Key Takeaways
- Graduate nursing students may receive less financial aid during the upcoming academic year due to federal policy changes.
- The new rules do not impact bachelor of science students or those pursuing another undergraduate nursing program.
- Scholarships employer assistance and affordable online courses can help you offset the impact of lower borrowing limits.
The cost to become a nurse depends on several factors.
But changes to federal financial aid for nursing programs will soon impact many students – no matter the circumstances.
What Is a Professional Degree?
Professional degrees prepare students for specific careers that typically require licensure or certification.
The graduate-level programs build real-world skills and knowledge through hands-on coursework such as:
- Labs
- Seminars
- Clinical work
They also entail training through internships or supervised practice.
Institutions design the curriculum to ensure you meet a profession’s industry and regulatory requirements upon graduation.
Professional Degree Changes (2026)
Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last summer, which introduced significant changes to the federal student financial aid process, with most provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.
According to Brookings, a nonpartisan research center, the impact of this law falls most heavily on higher-cost master’s and professional degree programs, particularly in health-related fields.
Under OBBBA, you may take out up to $50,000 in unsubsidized loans annually, $29,500 more than previously allowed. However, the new law eliminated the Direct PLUS loan program, which let students borrow up to their full cost of attendance.
OBBBA also increased the aggregate loan limit from $138,500 to $200,000. This encompasses all of your subsidized and unsubsidized aid. If you reach that cap, you can’t receive additional loans.
You may again apply for assistance once you pay back the amount owed, in full or in part, but the new law limits how much you can take out over your lifetime.
Previously, students could borrow as much as needed. Now, they will be capped at $257,500, including subsidized and unsubsidized loans.
Around the same time, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) redefined what degrees it considers to be professional. The following 11 qualify,:
- Pharmacy (PharmD)
- Dentistry (DDS or DMD)
- Veterinary medicine (DVM)
- Chiropractic (DC or DCM)
- Law (JD or LLB)
- Medicine (MD)
- Optometry (OD)
- Osteopathic medicine (DO)
- Podiatry (DPM, DPor PodD)
- Theology (MDiv or MHL)
- Clinical Psychology (PsyD or PhD)
Historically, federal guidelines treated a wider range of degrees as professional, including:
- Ministry (DMin)
- Nursing (MSN, DNP or PhD)
- Social work (MSW or DSW)
- Audiology (AuD)
- Physician assistant (MPAS, MSPAS, MMS or MS)
- Occupational therapy (MOT or OTD)
- Physical therapy (DPT)
- Public health (MPH)
- Accounting (MAcc or MSA)
- Architecture (MArch)
- Education (MA, MS, MAT, MEd)
- Special education (MEd or MSEd)
As a result, these students now face lower borrowing limits under OBBBA.
According to the new law, they may take out $20,500 annually in unsubsidized loans, with an aggregate limit of $100,000. Prior to OBBBA, that cap stood at $138,500.
The elimination of the Direct PLUS Loan program and lifetime loan limits also apply.
Is Nursing Considered a Professional Degree?
Following the new law and DOE classifications, professional organizations such as the American Nurses Association urged federal officials to reverse their designation, arguing it will:
- Make it more difficult for nurses to fund their education
- Discourage people from entering the field or pursuing more advanced roles
- Increase the price of tuition
ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, who holds a doctorate in nursing among other degrees, said in a statement: “Excluding nursing from the professional degree category has the potential to put patient care at risk, especially in areas where nurses are the only healthcare providers in their communities.”
The DOE argues otherwise, pointing to data that suggests 95 percent of nursing students borrow below the annual loan limit. In a press release, federal officials noted 80 percent of nurses don’t hold a graduate degree.
Dr. Scott Copley, assistant dean for recruitment and enrollment management at Duquesne University’s School of Nursing, believes it could be harder to secure federal funding but notes only time can reveal the actual ramifications.
“I’ve always believed that if you want to do it, you’ll find a way,” he emphasized on the Between Tides podcast. “I think schools are also stepping up a bit more to give better scholarships to students, trying to make up that difference.”
Is a BSN a Professional Degree?
A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) would not be considered a professional degree since you don’t enroll in a graduate-level program to earn one.
That means the new borrowing caps and reclassification rules exclude those pursuing an undergraduate degree, such as a BSN or an associate degree in nursing, or a nursing diploma. If you enroll in one of those programs, your eligibility for federal student aid remains unchanged.
Will Nurses Get Less Financial Aid in 2026?
Graduate nursing students will receive less financial aid for the 2026-27 and future academic years if the changes go into effect.
A bipartisan coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in May challenging the borrowing caps and reclassification rules. Ten national healthcare groups, including the ANA, took their own legal action too, arguing a similar case.
If either judge hearing the lawsuit issues a decision in their favor, it would halt the changes from going into effect.
Other Ways to Pay for Nursing School
A recent study from the University of Michigan found 30 percent of advanced practice nurses with student loans held balances that exceeded the new $100,000 limit.
If you want to become a nurse practitioner, a certified nurse-midwife, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, or earn a doctorate in nursing, here’s how you can make it more affordable:
- Apply for nursing-specific scholarships: Many professional nursing organizations fund scholarships for students at every stage of their education. These rewards don’t require repayment either.
- Pursue employer tuition assistance: If you already work as a registered nurse, your hospital or health system may provide tuition reimbursement or upfront coverage in exchange for a commitment to continue practicing for a set period after graduation.
- Take online college courses: Accredited institutions such as Portage Learning offer online, self-directed courses that give you an opportunity to earn credit on your schedule — at a lower price. You can affordably complete many of the prerequisites needed for graduate (and undergraduate) programs such as:
Conclusion
The cost to become a nurse never followed a simple formula – and new borrowing caps and reclassification rules make that calculation more complex for graduate students.
But the demand for nurses remains clear.
Millions of patients need compassionate care, and with the right combination of funding strategies, your path to pursuing an advanced practice nursing degree can stay open.
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