Written by student blogger, Elise Roen (RD2Be)

Congress recently passed H.R.1, a law that changes federal student loans and could limit graduate students’ access to affordable funding unless nutrition and dietetics programs are clearly recognized as “professional degrees”.

Starting July 1, 2026, H.R.1 eliminates Grad PLUS loans for graduate students, replacing them with capped federal loans. Only programs defined as “professional degrees” will qualify for higher borrowing limits, while other graduate programs will have lower annual and overall loan caps.

Currently, students in graduate programs will face federal caps of $20,500 per year and $100,000 lifetime total, while only professional degree programs will be eligible for up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 lifetime total in unsubsidized loans. Most Masters of Science programs in nutrition and dietetics pathways do not qualify under the limited “professional degree” definition, meaning RDN candidates could soon find federal aid falling far short of program costs.

The Department of Education’s narrow definition excludes many health fields that require post-baccalaureate education, licensure, and supervised practice, including nutrition and dietetics. If excluded, students will face loan caps that don’t match real costs. This will impact students from diverse and low income backgrounds, worsen workforce shortages, and limit access to nutrition care. Fewer licensed dietitians means fewer providers in hospitals, community programs, schools, long-term care, and private practice.

This isn’t just a dietetics issue, as other graduate health fields are being left out too. Fields like occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, advanced practice nursing, and physician assistants/programs also face lower loan caps, threatening broader healthcare workforce diversity, access, and sustainability. Patients and communities lose when these professions become financially out of reach, risking fewer culturally representative providers and increasing care disparities.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is urging members and supporters to contact Congress to ensure nutrition and dietetics programs are included in the “professional degree” category in H.R.1 implementation. This includes pressing the Department of Education to follow congressional intent, use an inclusive definition of professional degrees, and protect access to federal loans for all licensed health professionals, dietetics included.

Why it matters: Unless these loan caps are fixed, the pipeline for new RDNs, OTs, PTs, SLPs, and advanced nursing providers will shrink, leaving community health further behind and reducing access for those most in need.

Call to Action Link: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Advocacy Action Center

References

1. Congress Must Act to Protect Financial Aid. Votervoice.net. Published 2025. Accessed December 1, 2025. https://www.votervoice.net/EATRIGHT/1/Campaigns/131726/Respond
2. Proposal to Implement Loan Caps Threatens Access to Professional Degree Programs | Association of American Universities (AAU). Association of American Universities (AAU). Published November 14, 2025. https://www.aau.edu/newsroom/leading-research- universities-report/proposal-implement-loan-caps-threatens-access
3. Key Changes to Federal Student Loans Made in the Recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act | University Student Financial Services. Harvard.edu. Published 2025. https://sfs.harvard.edu/2025-changes-federal-student-loans