HARRISBURG, Pa. — The federal Department of Education is proposing new student loan guidelines that could exclude nursing as a “professional degree.” The potential change comes as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' looks to impose loan caps for graduate programs.

Under the proposed rules, graduate students in a professional degree program would have a loan limit of $50,000 per year. Students pursing non-professional degrees would be capped at $20,500 per year.

“They ask us to have a 5-year plan during school; this definitely throws off my 5-year plan," said Caroline Kokolus.

Kokolus, a senior at Drexel University, said she plans to go to graduate school become a nurse practitioner. She now worries that the potential rule changes will make it more challenging to achieve that goal.

“Not all

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