Federal rules enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced new cap structures for graduate borrowing and narrowed who qualifies as a 'professional' student. Education‑sector leaders warn the limits—$20,500 per year for most master’s students and higher caps for a narrowly defined list of professional degrees—could harm health‑care pipelines and make certain programs less accessible. Universities and professional schools are actively lobbying and commenting as the Education Department considers regulatory definitions of 'professional' programs. Many argue the proposed 11‑field interpretation is too narrow and could force students into private borrowing or deter applicants for licensure‑dependent fields. Lawmakers and institutional leaders are pressing the department to broaden definitions to avoid workforce shortfalls in critical sectors.