Education Department Expands 29 Graduate Programs for $200,000 Loan Cap After Judge Blocks Trump Rule
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 30
Education Department Expands 29 Graduate Programs for $200,000 Loan Cap After Judge Blocks Trump Rule
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 30
Summary
A revised rule taking effect Wednesday lets students in 29 graduate programs—including nursing, physical therapy and speech-language pathology—qualify for the higher federal loan cap during a court-ordered pause.
Judge Beryl Howell last week blocked part of the Trump administration's definition of “professional programs,” calling it a misguided break from Congress's longstanding standard.
The change lifts eligible programs to a $200,000 borrowing limit from $100,000 for other graduate degrees, replacing the prior system that let students borrow up to the full cost of attendance.
Education officials say the shift is temporary and expect the original rule to survive litigation, even as the court order also pushes some fields—notably theology studies—into the lower-cap category.
The dispute stems from last year's student-loan overhaul in Trump's tax bill, and a separate lawsuit from Democratic-led states challenging the loan caps is still pending.