US students pursuing these 11 degrees will be eligible to borrow up to $200,000 in federal loans under new limits

President Donald Trump and his administration is preparing to introduce one of the most significant rewrites of graduate student lending in more than a decade. From 1 July 2026, new federal borrowing limits will take effect, altering how much students can access and which programmes qualify for the highest caps. The changes redraw the financial boundaries that determine who continues into graduate and professional study, and on what terms.Under the proposed regulation, undergraduate borrowing will remain unchanged. Dependent students can still access up to $7,500 a year, depending on class level. The larger shift concerns graduate and professional students, who will see new ceilings: up to $20,500 per year ($100,000 in total) for graduate study, and up to $50,000 per year ($200,000 in total) for programmes classified as professional. Graduate PLUS loans, which previously allowed borrowing up to the full cost of attendance, will be removed.

A definition that determines who qualifies

At the centre of the reform is a definition: What counts as a professional degree. The US Department of Education states that such a degree “signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor’s degree”.Using that definition, the department has named 11 fields that qualify automatically for the higher $200,000 borrowing limit:

Clinical psychology was added after a negotiated rulemaking session in which stakeholders debated how the classification should apply and which fields met the threshold of professional practice.

A wider set of fields may follow

Beyond these 11, the department has indicated that at least 44 additional fields could qualify if they meet specific criteria: provision of professional-level skills beyond those associated with a bachelor’s degree, a typical pathway leading to a doctoral qualification, and a requirement for professional licensure before entry into practice. Potentially qualifying areas include other advanced pharmacy programmes, clinical counselling and theological studies. Institutions will be responsible for determining whether individual programmes meet the standard.

Professional organisations respond

The list has already prompted objections from several professional bodies, which argue that the department’s definition excludes fields that meet demanding standards and serve essential workforce needs.The American Association of Colleges of Nursing said that nursing, despite being the country’s largest health profession and requiring extensive post-baccalaureate training, does not qualify under the proposed rules. In a statement on 7 November, the organisation warned that excluding nursing could intensify existing shortages by forcing students towards higher-cost private loans.The National Association of Social Workers’ Florida chapter raised a similar concern, stating on 20 November that removing Master of Social Work and Doctorate of Social Work programmes from the professional category could reduce affordable training options in a field already reliant on graduate education.Responding to criticism, the Department of Education clarified in a fact sheet on 24 November that the definition of a professional degree is an internal classification used solely to determine eligibility for higher borrowing limits. The department stressed that the definition “has no bearing on whether a programme is professional in nature or not”.The stated aim of the new limits is twofold: to discourage borrowers from taking on debt they may struggle to repay, and to push institutions to restrain tuition growth by capping the amount students can access through federal loans.

What comes next

The regulation is not final. The Department of Education plans to publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register in the coming months, after which the public will be able to submit comments before the rule is finalised. For students in the 11 identified degree fields, the higher borrowing limit offers clarity about future financing. For others, particularly those in fields that require graduate credentials but fall outside the list. the rule raises questions about access, cost and how institutions may adjust.As with many federal shifts, the effects will not appear at once. They will emerge in course catalogues, financial aid offices and programme decisions over the next few years, as universities interpret the boundaries and students weigh the cost of entering professions that rely on long training pathways. The new limits mark the beginning of that recalibration.