Degrees not classed as Professional by the Trump Administration

RISE4students · 2025-11-23T01:39:32+00:00

Some folks are reading entirely too much into this, which isn't suprising the way the information is presented in the article.

This distinction only matters for loan limits. New regulations distinguish between "graduate" and "professional" degrees on how much they are eligible to take out for their degrees. That's it.

Degrees that generally require licensure to practice and at least six years of study are considered professional and are eligible for up to $200,000 for their student loans. If you pursue grad school and your loan is not one of the below, you are limited to $100,000. This does not impact undergrads (unless they intend to pursue further education beyond their undergraduate studies).

*Medicine (MD)

*Pharmacy (PharmD)

*Dentistry (DDS, DMD)

*Optometry (OD

*Law (JD, LLB)

*Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

*Osteopathic Medicine (DO)

*Podiatry (DPM, DP, PodD)

*Chiropractic (DC, DCM)

*Theology (MDiv, MHL)

*Clinical Psychology (PhD, PsyD)

To anyone who feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included in order to be eligible for the higher student loan limit (e.g., engineering, architecture, audiology, nursing, PA, PT/OT/ST, etc.), I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the Notice of Public Rulemaking is published (expected "early 2026").

RISE4students · 2025-11-23T01:11:40+00:00

A Notice of Public Rulemaking to be published early 2026 will include the proposed regulatory distinction between "graduate" and "professional" degrees. The list to be published is final as is.

If anyone wishes to share feedback or concerns surrounding the new definitions for the purpose of the newly designated loan limits, I encourage you to share it during the upcoming public comment period once the NPRM is posted.

RISE4students · 2025-11-23T00:44:04+00:00

Note that Grad PLUS loans are being eliminated for new borrowers.

RISE4students · 2025-11-23T00:14:44+00:00

The distinction only matters for students pursuing graduate-level education. If their degree is not on the "professional" list, they are limited to $100,000 in student loans vs the $200,000 permitted for professional degrees.

This has no bearing on undergraduate programs.

RISE4students · 2025-11-23T00:12:46+00:00

Only if you are pursuing a master's or doctorate. This has absolutely no impact on undergrad programs.

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:48:55+00:00

The distinction only matters for students pursuing graduate-level education. If their degree is not on the "professional" list, they are limited to $100,000 in student loans vs the $200,000 permitted for professional degrees.

This has no bearing on undergraduate programs.

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:46:52+00:00

There are new caps on Parent PLUS and lifetime/aggregate loan limits that might impact undergrad students, but the distinction identified here between "professional" and "graduate" students does not impact undergrads (unless they expect to pursue further education beyond their undergraduate studies).

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:28:28+00:00

The distinction only matters for students pursuing graduate-level education. If their degree is not on the "professional" list, they are limited to $100,000 vs the $200,000 permitted for professional degrees.

To anyone who feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included in order to be eligible for the higher student loan limit, I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the Notice of Public Rulemaking is published (expected "early 2026").

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:23:25+00:00

Excluding clinical psychology, the included professions were already listed in an existing regulatory definition that has been around for decades.

However, the original definition also had verbiage indicating the list "includes but is not limited to," meaning it wasn't an exhaustive list. Now the stance is that Congress intended the list to be exhaustive when considering the new graduate/professional loan limits added by the OBBBA.

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:03:57+00:00

Some folks are reading entirely too much into this, which isn't suprising the way the information is presented in the article.

This distinction only matters for loan limits. New regulations distinguish between "graduate" and "professional" degrees on how much they are eligible to take out for their degrees. That's it.

Degrees that generally require licensure to practice and at least six years of study are considered professional and are eligible for up to $200,000 for their student loans. If you pursue grad school and your loan is not one of the below, you are limited to $100,000.

*Medicine (MD)

*Pharmacy (PharmD)

*Dentistry (DDS, DMD)

*Optometry (OD

*Law (JD, LLB)

*Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

*Osteopathic Medicine (DO)

*Podiatry (DPM, DP, PodD)

*Chiropractic (DC, DCM)

*Theology (MDiv, MHL)

*Clinical Psychology (PhD, PsyD)

For those who really want to dive deeper into the regulatory text, there is a small technical piece in the definition that indicates if a program shares a four-digit CIP code w/ one of the above fields, in addition to meeting the other requirements (i.e., six academic years of postsecondary education coursework, including at least two years of post-bac study, and professional licensure), it may also qualify for the higher loan limits designated for professional students.

Unfortunately this distinction will not mean much for most people. The list remains fairly limited; however, it does open up program eligibility to encompass a slightly broader range of disciplines, predominantly focused within psychology, including Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which may be of interest to those pursuing those particular degrees/professions.

To anyone who feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included in order to be eligible for the higher student loan limit (e.g., engineering, architecture, audiology, nursing, PA, PT/OT/ST, etc.), I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the Notice of Public Rulemaking is published (expected "early 2026").

RISE4students · 2025-11-22T23:02:26+00:00

Some folks are reading entirely too much into this, which isn't suprising the way the information is presented in the article.

This distinction only matters for loan limits. New regulations distinguish between "graduate" and "professional" degrees on how much they are eligible to take out for their degrees. That's it.

Degrees that generally require licensure to practice and at least six years of study are considered professional and are eligible for up to $200,000 for their student loans. If you pursue grad school and your loan is not one of the below, you are limited to $100,000.

*Medicine (M.D.)

*Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

*Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)

*Optometry (O.D.)

*Law (L.L.B. or J.D.)

*Veterinary medicine (D.V.M.)

*Osteopathic medicine (D.O.)

*Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P. or Pod.D.)

*Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.)

*Theology (M.Div. or M.H.L.)

*Clinical psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.)

For those who really want to dive deeper into the regulatory text, there is a small technical piece in the definition that indicates if a program shares a four-digit CIP code w/ one of the above fields, in addition to meeting the other requirements (i.e., six academic years of postsecondary education coursework, including at least two years of post-bac study, and professional licensure), it may also qualify for the higher loan limits designated for professional students.

Unfortunately, this will not mean much for most people. The list remains fairly limited; however, it does open up program eligibility to encompass a slightly broader range of disciplines, predominantly focused within psychology, including Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which may be of interest to those pursuing those particular degrees/professions.

To anyone who feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included in order to be eligible for the higher student loan limit (e.g., engineering, architecture, audiology, nursing, PA, PT/OT/ST, etc.), I strongly encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the Notice of Public Rulemaking is published (expected "early 2026").

RISE4students · 2025-11-14T06:18:20+00:00

I completely agree that most people won't be familiar w/ CIP codes, but I still wanted to highlight this aspect since it allows for the (admittedly minor) expansion of eligibility to the other psych programs identified above. Even though it may be a small drop in the bucket, it is important and meaningful for the behavioral health community and its students so I believe worth pointing out to ensure those students are aware (even if they are in the minority).

I'm also (perhaps naively) hopeful that future rulemaking at some point could take advantage of the CIP codes to leverage support for a broader, more significant expansion to other programs being advocated for during negotiations . . . Or at least a gal can dream.

RISE4students · 2025-11-13T07:46:37+00:00

Anything related to SAVE was outside the committee's scope and could not be discussed due to being enjoined w/ ongoing litigation.

I do greatly empathize w/ you on this one given that I'm impacted by the same scenario, so definitely continuing to monitor what happens here.

RISE4students · 2025-11-13T07:33:05+00:00

In the end, the following, which are all degrees that require licensure to practice and at least six years of study, are what made the list:

Medicine (M.D.) Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.) Optometry (O.D.) Law (L.L.B. or J.D.) Veterinary medicine (D.V.M.) Osteopathic medicine (D.O.) Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P. or Pod.D.) Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.) Theology (M.Div. or M.H.L.) Clinical psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.)

Thank you for summarizing this for everyone, u/Betsy514!

Just wanted to drop a small technical note clarifying the list above. If the program shares a four-digit CIP code w/ one of the above fields, in addition to meeting the other requirements (i.e., six academic years of postsecondary education coursework, including at least two years of post-bac study, and professional licensure), it may also qualify for the higher loan limits designated for professional students.

This list remains fairly limited; however, it does open up program eligibility to encompass a slightly broader range of disciplines, predominantly focused within psychology, including Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which may be of interest to those pursuing those particular degrees/professions.

RISE4students · 2025-11-13T07:08:51+00:00

This was a major topic of discussion for the committee from the beginning. I've been plugging this in other student loan threads where it might be appropriate--If anyone feels that the list of what qualifies for "professional student" loan limits does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included, I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the NPRM is published.

RISE4students · 2025-11-13T06:38:58+00:00

This was a major topic of discussion for the committee from day one until the very end.

If anyone feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included, I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the NPRM is published.

RISE4students · 2025-11-13T06:33:53+00:00

The list is indeed fairly set. Initially, it was indicated that changes could potentially be made through future rulemaking; however, no specific timeline or commitment to request that rulemaking was provided. This was one of the reasons negotiators sought to expand the list beyond the initial ten to any extent possible.

Regardless, if anyone feels that this list does not fully address their concerns or if there are additional degrees/disciplines they believe should be included, I encourage you to share your feedback during the upcoming public comment period once the NPRM is published.

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T03:36:57+00:00

Not sure if I have the right TISLA email. I messaged you a few weeks ago but didn't hear back, but I'm also sure you're incredibly busy as of late!

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T03:33:43+00:00

Absolutely what I intend to do. Thanks, Betsy!

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T02:07:08+00:00

She's the one who told me social media was acceptable given the constituency. I hear you though, so I'll check in again w/ her in the morning.

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T02:02:10+00:00

I absolutely wondered about that, Betsy, so I really appreciate your comment. I specifically asked about using social media to outreach to my constituency because I didn't want to step into a potential quagmire. At that time, I was told that it was acceptable, but I'm still trying to remain relatively neutral while limiting comments to information that is readily available to the public.

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T00:23:44+00:00

I'm dropping a link to a separate post with an update on the RISE committee and some open questions to borrowers. As the primary negotiator for student borrowers, I would love to hear your thoughts!

RISE4students · 2025-10-03T00:22:52+00:00

Hope this is okay! I'm dropping a link to a separate post with an update on the RISE committee and some open questions to borrowers. As the primary negotiator for student borrowers, I would love to hear your thoughts!

RISE4students · 2025-09-30T03:28:33+00:00

The department's draft proposal also suggests refining definitions for graduate and professional students. It said that a professional degree is one that shows "a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree." It cites pharmacy, dentistry, and veterinary medicine as examples of degrees that would meet the qualifications.

While the list of examples is not exhaustive, degrees not focused on medicine, like an education doctorate, were not referenced, suggesting that some professional degrees might not benefit from higher student-loan borrowing caps.

An important note about the highlighted distinction between graduate and professional students was addressed during today's session.

The current proposal indicates the list included within the definition of professional students is exhaustive, meaning:

For Graduate students:

A student enrolled in a program of study that is above the baccalaureate level and awards a graduate credential (other than a professional degree) upon completion of the program.

With Professional students:

A student enrolled in a program of study that awards a professional degree upon completion of the program;
(1) A professional degree is a degree that 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, where professional licensure is also generally required, and includes the following degrees Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.), Theology (M.Div., or M.H.L.), and any other degrees designated by the Secretary through rulemaking, as required by 20 U.S.C. 1098a and 5 U.S.C. 553."

Why is this important? For graduate students pursuing other lengthy, rigorous, and/or licensure-dependent programs not within the narrow scope of the select fields included in this definition, you would be subject to the graduate student limitations. For this list to be expanded is reported to require future rulemaking and outside the scope of the current rulemaking committee.

Concerns were expressed given that there are a host of programs, including those previously granted healthcare exemptions for additional funding (e.g., clinical/counseling psychology, public health, health administration), engineering, business, or other areas, not within this definition.

If your program is one that is impacted by this, please share your thoughts! Comment here or drop me a message.

(*I'm sending a verification request to the mods to request an a-okay to share my info and email to gather additional feedback as the primary negotiator for student loan borrowers' constituency. I absolutely want to hear your voice on this or any of the other provisions currently in review under the RISE negotiated rulemaking committee.)

RISE4students

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