A federal judge blocked a Trump administration rule that had restricted student loan borrowing limits for graduate nursing students and those in related health professions. The ruling expands eligibility for higher loan caps that were previously reserved for other graduate programs.
The blocked regulation had classified nursing, physical therapy, and similar fields differently than other advanced degree programs, imposing lower borrowing ceilings on students in these disciplines. The judge's decision reclassifies these programs as "professional" graduate degrees, matching the loan limit structure available to law, medical, and business school students.
Graduate nursing students can now access up to $138,500 in federal Direct Loans for their entire program, compared to the previous $110,000 cap imposed under the Trump-era rule. Physical therapy students and those in other affected health professions gain similar increases to their borrowing capacity.
The ruling reflects ongoing litigation over higher education policy carried over from the previous administration. Federal judges have consistently struck down various Trump education rules in recent years, from student loan forgiveness provisions to Title IX interpretations.
For nursing programs specifically, the decision addresses a staffing crisis in the healthcare sector. Nursing education often requires expensive clinical training and specialized coursework that drives up program costs. Higher loan limits remove a financial barrier that deterred some candidates from pursuing advanced nursing degrees during a period of critical nurse shortages nationally.
The decision applies to students currently enrolled in affected programs as well as prospective students. Universities and graduate nursing programs can now market these increased borrowing opportunities to recruit students to their programs.
The Department of Education has not announced whether it will appeal the ruling. The decision stands as the latest judicial reversal of Trump administration education policy pursued through the regulatory process.