Senate bill would reclassify nursing as a professional degree for federal loans
In committeeS. 4568Latest action
Sponsor: Jeff Merkley · Senator · OR
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
119th Congress
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.
S 4568 would add nursing graduate degrees to the federal professional degree list, unlocking higher Direct Loan borrowing limits.
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What does this do?
S 4568 would add nursing — including the MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. in nursing — to the official list of professional degrees under federal education law. That classification change would qualify nursing graduate students for the same higher federal Direct Loan borrowing limits available to students in law, medicine, and dentistry. The bill does not change tuition costs or grant funding, only the amount a student may borrow.
Who does it affect?
The bill directly affects people enrolled in or planning to enroll in graduate-level nursing programs, including nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nursing researchers. Nursing schools and hospitals that train advanced practice nurses may also be affected.
Why does it matter?
Because nursing is not currently classified as a professional degree under federal law, nursing graduate students face lower federal loan limits than students in law, medicine, or dental programs. Adding nursing to the professional degree list could affect enrollment in advanced nursing programs and the pipeline of advanced practice nurses.
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Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMay 19, 2026
- Senate committeeYou are here · May 19, 2026
- Senate vote
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.