Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Have any degree programs been reclassified between professional and nonprofessional status in DOE guidance for 2025–2026?
Executive summary
The Department of Education’s recent rulemaking and RISE committee discussions would sharply narrow which programs count as “professional,” with reports saying the department and committee agreed to recognize only 11 primary professional program types (and some doctoral programs) — a change that would reclassify many programs now treated as professional, including nursing, beginning with implementation actions slated around July 1, 2026 [1] [2]. Multiple trade groups and outlets report that nursing and several allied-health and public-health programs would be excluded under the proposed definition, prompting industry pushback [3] [4] [5].
1. What the Department and the RISE committee proposed — a narrower “professional” label
Meeting summaries and stakeholder reporting indicate the Department of Education and the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) committee negotiated draft regulations that would sharply limit the set of programs classified as “professional,” settling on roughly 11 primary program categories plus certain doctoral degrees as professional for student loan limit purposes [1]. NewAmerica’s explainer underscores that this codification — part of implementing H.R.1 loan provisions — is central to deciding which programs get higher aggregate and annual loan limits starting in July 2026 [6].
2. Which programs reporting says would be reclassified
Several outlet and association statements identify nursing and a range of healthcare and public-health programs as losing “professional” status under the proposal. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) explicitly said the Education Department’s proposed definition excludes nursing, limiting loan access for nursing students [3]. Local reporting similarly stated the Department no longer considers nursing a professional degree under the draft guidance [4]. Advocacy posts and summaries have named physician assistant programs, advanced nursing degrees, occupational therapy, audiology, and some public-health programs among those affected [7] [5].
3. Timing and the effect on loan limits
Reporting frames these reclassifications as consequential because, under the implementation plan, students in programs classified as “professional” would be eligible for larger loan limits ($50,000 annual, $200,000 aggregate for professional programs) while graduate programs would face lower caps ($20,500 annual, $100,000 aggregate), with changes taking effect or phasing in around July 1, 2026 [6] [2]. The same set of summaries notes the end of Grad PLUS loans as of July 1, 2026, which compounds concerns about financing gaps for programs losing professional status [1] [6].
4. Institutional and sector reactions — alarm and calls for clarification
Professional and academic organizations are publicly alarmed. AACN said it is “deeply concerned” about the exclusion of nursing and the attendant limitation of student loan access [3]. Nursing-focused reporting and advocacy posts echo that concern, portraying the move as a reclassification that would weaken funding for entry into healthcare fields [4] [7]. The AAU piece frames the change as part of a negotiated consensus within the rulemaking sessions and explicitly signals the scope of programs recognized as professional would shrink to a short list [1].
5. What remains unclear or not found in current reporting
Available sources describe committee consensus language and reporting about which program fields would be counted, but they do not publish a definitive, complete list of every individual program code that will be reclassified or the Department’s final regulatory text [1] [6]. Sources also indicate the Department may issue additional guidance (for example, a Dear Colleague letter) to clarify “program of study” questions, but a finalized, legally binding list of reclassifications is not contained in the cited summaries [8]. Therefore, exact program-by-program treatment and any exceptions are not found in current reporting [8].
6. Competing perspectives and implicit agendas
Departmental and RISE committee presenters argue the change is a regulatory implementation of statutory loan provisions and an attempt to standardize what “professional” means across programs; advocacy groups argue the narrowing will hamper workforce pipelines in health and public service [1] [6] [3]. Watch for institutional self-interest: universities and professional associations push back when their programs risk losing higher loan caps; that opposition is an implicit agenda to protect funding and enrollment [3] [4]. Conversely, proponents of tighter definitions frame the move as containment of high loan exposure tied to particular degree categories [1] [6].
7. Bottom line for your original question
Yes — reporting indicates the Department’s draft guidance and RISE committee consensus would reclassify many programs previously treated as “professional” and explicitly excludes nursing and other health/public‑health programs from the professional-degree designation as proposed, with implementation actions tied to July 1, 2026 [1] [3] [2]. However, a final, authoritative program-by-program reclassification list or final regulatory text is not present in the current reporting and may still be subject to further departmental guidance or rulemaking [8] [6].