Grassroots Action Center

The U.S. Department of Education released its Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule on April 30, 2026. The rule established new federal student loan limits beginning July 1, 2026, including an annual limit of $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students. The final rule’s definition of “professional degree” does not include master’s-level Mental Health Counseling programs.  

NBCC strongly opposes the exclusion of master’s-level Mental Health Counseling programs from professional degree status and is concerned about the potential impact on students’ ability to afford the education required to enter the Counseling profession.  

Call to Action: Contact Your Congressional Representatives Today  

Mental Health Counselors, Counseling students, recent graduates, educators, employers, those who considered pursuing a degree in Counseling, and advocates have an important opportunity to share how changes to federal student loan policy are currently affecting and will continue to affect the Counseling workforce.  

We are especially looking for stories from:  

• current or former Counseling students who have relied on federal student loans to afford their education.  
• students who are currently pursuing a Counseling degree and are concerned that the new loan limits could affect their ability to complete their program.  
• individuals who considered pursuing a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling but decided not to enroll because the cost of graduate education, student debt, or limited financial aid made the degree financially unrealistic.  
• individuals who changed their educational or career plans because they could not afford to pursue Counseling.  
• Counselors and educators who have seen students struggle with the cost of graduate education or leave programs because of financial barriers.  

Your experience can help congressional offices understand the real-world implications of changes to federal student loan policy, not just for individual students, but for the future behavioral health workforce in their states.  

Why Your Story Matters  

The new federal loan limits create a distinction between graduate and professional students for purposes of federal student loan eligibility. Graduate students are subject to a $20,500 annual federal loan limit, while professional students may borrow up to $50,000 annually. The department has identified specific fields that qualify for the higher professional-student loan limit, while master’s-level Mental Health Counseling programs are not included in that definition.  

For students pursuing Counseling degrees, the amount of federal financial aid available can be an important factor in determining whether graduate school is financially possible. Students in Counseling programs require substantial education and clinical training before they can independently practice, making access to affordable graduate education an important workforce consideration.  

We want members of Congress to hear directly from the people who are experiencing these decisions firsthand.  

Share Your Story With Your Congressional Representatives  

If you have been affected—or decided not to pursue Counseling because of the financial barriers associated with graduate education—we encourage you to share your experience with your members of Congress.  

Consider telling your story about:  

• Why you chose to pursue Counseling.  
• How federal student loans helped make your education possible.  
• How much you relied on federal financial aid to cover tuition and/or living expenses.  
• Whether changes to federal loan limits have affected your educational plans.  
• Whether the cost of graduate education caused you to delay, change, or abandon plans to become a Counselor.  
• What these changes could mean for your ability to enter or remain in the Counseling profession.  
• How access to an affordable Counseling workforce could affect your state or community.  

Personal stories are particularly valuable. Congressional offices need to understand how federal policy affects constituents in their own states and districts.  

Take Action Today  

Share your story with your congressional representatives. Use this page to contact your members of Congress and explain how federal student loan policy has affected—or could affect—your educational and career plans.  

Share this opportunity with others. If you know a Counseling student, prospective student, graduate, educator, or Counselor who has been affected by the cost of graduate education, encourage them to share their experience as well.  

Tell us your story. If you are an impacted student, Counselor, educator, or someone who decided not to pursue a Counseling degree because of financial barriers, we want to hear from you. Email us your experience (govtaffairs@nbcc.org), as these can help NBCC demonstrate the real-world impact of these policy changes. 

The future of the Counseling workforce depends in part on whether students can afford to enter the profession. Your story can help policymakers understand what is at stake.