Action Alert

Please make your voice heard about a future limitation on graduate nursing student loans! Post-BSN education is costly and many nurses need to access federal student loans to become nurse practitioners, nurse educators, and nurse leaders in their future. The U.S. Department of Education has continued on with its rule process proposal that excludes nursing from the definition of “professional degree” programs for federal graduate student loan. Public comments are being accepted about "Reimagining and Improving Student Education" (RISE) proposed rule:

Agency: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (ED)
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Reimagining and Improving Student Education
Document ID: ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001

The American Organization for Nursing Leadership asked the Nurse Leaders in Advocacy group to comment on this proposed rule. If you do, please include this in your comments:  "I urge the inclusion of post-baccalaureate nursing degrees (MSN, DNP, Ph.D.) explicitly in the list of professional degrees."  The American Nurses Association has also asked that nurses directly comment to the Department of Education about the future impacts of limiting graduate nursing student loans. Limiting federal student loans for nursing graduate education will create financial barriers that would reduce enrollment and reduce the supply of nurse practitioners, nurse educators, and nursing leaders at a time when patient demand continues to increase. We need to hear your voice.