*Protect Post-Baccalaureate Nursing Education!!*

A proposed change to federal education policy could significantly limit access to graduate nursing education at a time when the nation needs more advanced practice nurses and nurse faculty, not fewer. Under changes enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3A), new federal loan limits differentiate between graduate and professional degree programs. Because nursing is not currently included in the Department of Education’s proposed definition of a professional degree, post-baccalaureate nursing students would be subject to significantly lower borrowing limits. This action threatens to constrain nursing workforce growth, shrink the pool of nurse faculty, and reduce access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Faculty understand these stakes firsthand. From preparing APRNs to sustaining research and the supply of nurse educators, post-baccalaureate nursing education is foundational to healthcare access and quality. Yet new loan caps could put advanced education financially out of reach for many students.