Trump Admin's 'Professional Degree’ Change Faces New Legal Battle
Summary
Several major labor unions have sued President Donald Trump’s administration over changes to the federal student loan rules. They argue the new definition of “professional degree” limits access to borrowing for important public-service fields like education, social work, and public health, making graduate education less affordable.Key Facts
- The lawsuit was filed by a group of unions including AFSCME, AFT, National Nurses United, and AFL-CIO.
- The dispute focuses on the administration’s narrower definition of “professional degree” for a higher $200,000 federal borrowing cap.
- The new rules took effect on July 1 and set a $100,000 lifetime federal loan limit for most graduate students.
- Only 11 programs qualify for the $200,000 cap, excluding many public-service fields’ master’s programs.
- Critics say the rule could worsen staff shortages in education, social work, and public health by making loans less accessible.
- A federal court has blocked the narrowed definition while the lawsuit moves forward.
- The changes force some students to rely more on private loans, which cannot be forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
- The unions argue the Education Department did not follow proper procedures and unfairly excluded key public-service degree programs.
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