Under new rules proposed by the Trump administration, students in graduate programs deemed “professional” could borrow up to $200,000 in total for their degrees, with an annual cap of $50,000. Loans for other graduate programs would be capped at $100,000 in total and $20,500 per year. Loans available to nurses would be subject to these lower caps.

An administration-convened panel charged with implementing the law last month proposed adopting a narrowed definition of “professional” graduate health care programs, limited to M.D.s, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and clinical psychologists.

In the past, nurse graduate students were able to borrow federal loans up to the full cost of their programs.

This move stems from an effort to rein in student loan debt and tuition costs as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; however, it would mean that post-baccalaureate nursing students would be eligible for only half the amount of federal loans available to graduate medical students and other health care programs.