Federal changes to graduate student lending caps — eliminating Graduate PLUS for new borrowers and capping non‑professional graduate loans at $20,500 annually — are forcing institutions to re‑price programs and reassess enrollment assumptions. Regulators are still finalizing which degrees qualify as “professional” (higher caps) but experts warn nursing, allied health and other high‑cost graduate programs face enrollment and pipeline risk if students can no longer finance tuition and living costs. Institutions reliant on graduate tuition revenue now face recruitment shortfalls and potential program redesigns; academic finance officers and deans must model cash‑flow scenarios, consider program redesignations, and push for policy clarifications to preserve workforce pipelines in health care and other critical fields.