Key facts
- President Donald Trump's student-loan borrowing caps are scheduled to take effect on July 1.
- House Republicans have advanced an amendment to include advanced nursing programs in higher student loan borrowing limits.
- Trump's policy designates 11 programs as 'professional' with a $200,000 lifetime cap, excluding advanced nursing which faces a $100,000 cap.
- A lawsuit filed by 25 Democratic-led states challenges the narrow definition of 'professional' programs.
- The American Academy of Physician Associates and PA Education Association have also sued, citing insufficient tuition coverage for PA school.
- Bipartisan legislative efforts are also underway to address the student loan cap issue for advanced nursing programs.
President Donald Trump's administration is set to implement new student loan borrowing caps on July 1, which have drawn significant opposition and legal challenges. House Republicans have advanced an amendment that would counter these limits by ensuring advanced nursing programs are designated as professional degree programs, thus eligible for higher borrowing caps.
Under the current plan, 11 programs, including medicine, law, and dentistry, are classified as 'professional,' allowing a lifetime borrowing limit of $200,000. Advanced nursing programs, however, are excluded from this designation, subjecting them to a lower $100,000 lifetime cap. The proposed amendment seeks to include certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists within the professional designation.
Despite the amendment's advancement from committee, the budget process typically extends into the fall, meaning Trump's student loan changes are still on track to take effect next month. Legal challenges could potentially halt the plans. In late May, 25 Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education, arguing that the definition of 'professional' is too restrictive and could worsen the healthcare worker shortage. Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent defended the caps, stating they incentivize universities to lower tuition after years of unchecked borrowing.
Further legal action was taken by the American Academy of Physician Associates and the PA Education Association on June 3, asserting that the borrowing caps do not cover the full tuition costs for physician associate programs. Benjamin Pinckney, a recent graduate aspiring to become a physician associate, expressed concern that the policy changes would limit his ability to serve underserved communities. The issue has garnered bipartisan attention, with a pair of lawmakers introducing a bill in late May to address the inclusion of advanced nursing programs in higher borrowing caps.