“To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the definition of professional degree.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states congressional findings that the Department of Education has modified the definition of professional degree programs eligible for federal student aid under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.), removing many health, education, and graduate credentials to the detriment of students with disabilities; that the change is part of a new student loan policy set to take effect on July 1, 2026; and that affected students could lose eligibility for such aid, exacerbating workforce shortages in foundational economic sectors.
This section revises the definition of professional degree in the Federal Direct Loan program by (1) striking from clause (ii) of Section 455(a)(4)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 the phrase “, as defined under section 668.2 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this paragraph)”; and (2) adding clause (iii) to define the term as given in 34 CFR §668.2 (as in effect on the date of enactment), except that it also includes degrees in nursing (A.D.N., R.N., or B.S.N.), occupational therapy (M.O.T.), physical therapy (D.P.T.), social work (M.S.W.), accounting (MAcc), architecture (M.Arch.), special and secondary education (M.Ed., M.S.Ed., or M.A.T.), music education (M.S. or M.M.E.), world languages (M.Ed.), and public health (M.P.H.).