The National Consortium of Academic Nurse Educators, Inc. (NC-ANE) has released a formal statement expressing strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Education’s final rule on graduate student loans, which continues to exclude graduate nursing education from the federal definition of “professional degree” programs.
This decision carries significant consequences for the future of nursing education, advanced nursing practice, and the sustainability of the healthcare workforce. Beginning July 1, 2026, graduate nursing students pursuing advanced clinical, leadership, academic, and research preparation may face federal loan limitations that do not reflect the actual cost and rigor of graduate nursing education.
NC-ANE firmly believes that nursing is a highly specialized professional discipline requiring advanced education, clinical expertise, leadership, and scholarly preparation. The exclusion of nursing from the “professional degree” classification undermines the critical role graduate-prepared nurses and academic nurse educators play in ensuring safe, equitable, and high-quality healthcare delivery nationwide.
As an organization dedicated to advancing academic nursing and supporting the nurse educator workforce, NC-ANE calls upon federal leaders and legislators to revisit this ruling and develop policies that promote equitable access to graduate nursing education.
We encourage nurses, nurse educators, students, healthcare leaders, and allies to review the statement, advocate for the profession, and contact their congressional representatives and senators regarding this issue.
Read the full Formal Statement.pdf here.
