American Nurses Association’s Statement on the Department of Education’s Finalized Graduate Student Loan Rulemaking
New Federal Loan Limits Will Restrict Access to Advanced Nursing Education and Weaken the Healthcare Workforce
SILVER SPRING, MD, April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The American Nurses Association (ANA) is profoundly dismayed by the Department of Education’s exclusion of nursing from the definition of “professional degree” programs under the finalized federal graduate loan borrowing limits.
With this final rule, the Department of Education ignores the voices of over 245,000 nurses and nurse advocates who signed ANA’s RNAction petition and the tens of thousands of comments submitted during the public comment period earlier this year.
The provisions of the rule severely restrict access to critical loan support for post-baccalaureate nursing education and actively undermine efforts to expand and sustain the nursing workforce. This action by the Department of Education will result in a negative impact on patient care as advanced practice registered nurses are increasingly relied on to provide crucial primary care and other specialty healthcare services.
“It’s ironic that we find ourselves here just one week before National Nurses Week, a time when we are meant to celebrate and honor the very people who keep our health system running. And yet, this Department of Education has chosen to make it harder for nurses to advance their education and their careers,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President of the American Nurses Association. “This final rule will limit baccalaureate-prepared nurses’ ability to pursue advanced degrees, including the Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, the very degrees that produce the advanced practice nurses and educators our country so desperately needs. Make no mistake, this is not a technicality or a footnote. This rule will be felt in real communities, for example, in rural areas where nurse practitioners, midwives, and nurse anesthesiologists are often the only providers of core care services.”
ANA urges President Trump and Congress to rectify this misguided approach. ANA will continue to advocate for the nursing profession to have access to the financial resources and support that are paramount for pursuing advanced nursing degrees.
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About the American Nurses Association
As the preeminent organization representing more than 5 million registered nurses, the American Nurses Association stands at the forefront of advancing nursing excellence. The association harnesses The Power of Nurses™ to champion the profession and drive transformation in healthcare. Through legislative and political advocacy, comprehensive educational services, and the profession’s leading Code of Ethics and Scope and Standards, the association empowers nurses across every specialty and practice setting. The association is committed to ensuring healthy work environments, shaping pioneering policies, and cultivating partnerships that enhance both the nursing profession and the broader healthcare experience.
MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@ana.org
CONTACT: American Nurses Association Newsroom American Nurses Association newsroom@ana.org
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