Earlier this year, Congress passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included a provision creating different yearly and lifetime loan limits for graduate and professional students. The U.S. Department of Education has now released its proposed rule which defines nurse practitioner programs as graduate programs and not professional degree programs. If finalized, this could have a serious impact on the future nursing workforce.

Now is the critical moment to make your voice heard. The Department of Education is accepting public comments on the proposed rule until March 2, 2026, and it is essential that nurse practitioners, students, faculty, and NP supporters make their voices heard. We urge you to submit a comment calling on the Department to include nurse practitioner programs in the definition of a professional degree program to ensure future NPs have access to federal student loans needed to support their education.