News
US Department of Education considers change to "professional" designations
Nov 22, 2025 —There is a recent initiative by the Department of Education to revise the parameters used to classify degrees within the "professions" category. This potential change will impact careers include nursing, architecture, and accounting, as well as others.
This reclassification could impact the level of financial support students receive based on whether their degrees are classified as professional or non-professional. Under H.R.1 (OBBBA), the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will be brought in to replace other programs that assist people with educational costs. The Grad PLUS program, which assists students with loans and repayment, will likely no longer operate. The Parent PLUS program, which assists parents of students with loans, will be limited. The new RAP will cap loans for new borrowers at $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students. This means that if a degree is not considered "professional," it will be a determining factor in how much financial support students will receive. Degrees that would not be considered "professional" include several fields where there is already a shortage of candidates:
- Nursing
- Physician Assistants
- Physical Therapists
- Audiologists
- Architects
- Accountants
- Educators
- Social Workers
Stay tuned for more information and potential calls to action from VT CPA on our website and in your email.
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