Pursuant to provisions of H.R.1, the Department of Education (DOE) has recently proposed changes that may result in several graduate degrees, including social work and some counseling degrees, no longer being classified as “professional” programs. This change would limit the maximum available loan amounts for graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in these fields. The proposal would limit the annual amount of public loans an individual can obtain for graduate degrees to $20,500 per year and $100,000 over the course of one's lifetime. Medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law, theology and clinical psychology would still be considered professional degrees, for which students can receive up to $50k per year and $200k total in public loans. Related resources providing additional background information include a summary of the proposal from Inside Higher Ed and a press release from DOE. If the rule is finalized, it is expected to become effective July 1, 2026.