What Nursing Faculty, Program Directors, and Deans Should Know

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Federal student aid policy continues to evolve, and recent changes could have significant implications for students pursuing advanced nursing degrees.

 

In our recent article, ATI highlighted developments related to federal student loan eligibility and borrowing limits. Since then, nursing education leaders have continued to assess an important question: How could new federal loan caps affect students, programs and the future nursing workforce?

The U.S. Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Final Rule classifies several advanced nursing programs as “graduate degree” programs rather than “professional degree” programs for federal student loan purposes. Affected pathways include nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, and master’s and doctoral programs in nursing education. As a result, students entering these programs face lower federal borrowing limits than under the prior treatment.

Why This Matters for Nursing Education

For nursing education leaders, the implications extend beyond student financing. Graduate nursing students rely heavily on federal loans to support their education. Lower borrowing limits may create additional financial barriers for prospective students, particularly those balancing work, family responsibilities, and rising educational costs.

Over time, reduced access to advanced nursing education could affect program enrollment and the pipeline of advanced practice nurses, nurse educators, and other highly skilled professionals who play a critical role in addressing workforce shortages.

Congressional Activity Continues

The policy landscape remains active as we enter fall 2026. Multiple bills have been introduced in Congress that would restore or clarify eligibility for higher federal borrowing limits for nursing students and other healthcare professions. These proposals take different approaches, but each reflects continued congressional attention to how federal loan policy may affect advanced nursing education and the healthcare workforce.

 

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Addressing New Federal Student Loan Caps on Advanced Nursing Degrees

Download Here

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Whether your institution is monitoring enrollment trends, evaluating student affordability concerns, or preparing to discuss the issue with senior leadership, we encourage you to become engaged on this issue.

ATI developed a downloadable resource to help nursing faculty, program directors, deans, and academic leaders understand the loan cap issue and communicate its potential implications. It provides a quick overview of what changed, why it matters, and which policy solutions have been proposed.

The brief includes:

✓ An overview of the RISE Final Rule changes affecting advanced nursing programs

✓ A comparison of previous and current federal borrowing limits

✓ Potential impacts on students, nursing programs, and the healthcare workforce

✓ A summary of legislative proposals introduced in Congress

✓ A concise resource to share with faculty, institutional leaders, and workforce partners

Use the brief to support conversations about student affordability, enrollment planning, workforce development, and federal policy.

We encourage you to download and share the brief with colleagues across academic affairs, financial aid, government relations, and workforce partnership teams.

Download this resource here.

Why ATI Is Monitoring This Issue

As a partner to nursing education programs across the country, ATI closely tracks federal and state policy developments that may affect nursing students, faculty, and institutions. Changes to student financial aid policy can influence educational access, program enrollment, workforce supply, and ultimately patient access to care.

ATI will continue monitoring congressional and regulatory activity related to advanced nursing degree loan eligibility and will share updates as new developments emerge. We invite you to download and share ATI’s policy brief, Addressing New Federal Student Loan Caps on Advanced Nursing Degrees, with faculty, administrators, institutional leaders, and other stakeholders engaged in discussions about graduate nursing education and workforce development.

 

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About the author: Kurt Burkum is Senior Director of Government Relations at Ascend Learning. With more than 20 years of experience in education policy, workforce development, public affairs, and policy research, he works with policymakers, educators, and industry leaders on issues that shape learner success and workforce readiness. His writing explores the legislative, regulatory, and policy trends affecting postsecondary education, career pathways, credentialing, and professional training.