Legal challenges to new federal student loan limits for graduate borrowers are headed into a longer fight, with a lawsuit schedule indicating proceedings could run until at least December. Plaintiffs, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, argue the Education Department’s definition of “professional degree programs” was adopted without authority under the governing statute. Last month, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia paused the department’s approach after concluding the agency lacked authority to deviate from Congress’s definition. Since then, ED has published a list of 29 programs considered eligible while the litigation continues. Separately, colleges are confronting emerging uncertainty tied to new accountability measures that can affect future access to federal student loans if performance thresholds tied to student earnings are missed. Advocate and policy groups warn that some programs received limited extensions, creating uneven risk across institutions. The combined effect is a sector under tight compliance and planning pressure: institutions must model eligibility and performance impacts while also preparing for additional court-driven delays and revisions to eligibility criteria.