PROTECTING THE PROFESSIONAL DEGREE STATUS FOR COUNSELORS

The Situation:

Under the terms of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill  (H.R. 1), the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will replace existing loan repayment programs, including the Grad PLUS Program and much of the Parent PLUS program. Under RAP, annual federal loans for new borrowers will be capped at $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students per academic year. The Department of Education identified 11 degrees, including medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and law, that would be considered professional degrees. Counseling and Therapy programs were not included on this list, meaning students in these fields would not qualify for the higher funding cap.

Affected Master’s Degrees:

Accounting

Architecture

Audiology

Business Masters

Counseling and Therapy 

Education

Engineering Masters

Nursing

Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

Physician Assistant

Public Health

Social Work

Speech and Language Pathology

Why This Matters:

Reducing federal financial aid for counseling and therapy students will restrict entry into mental health professions at a time when shortages are already severe. Fewer students may be able to afford these degrees, which will shrink the future behavioral health workforce. Excluding counseling and therapy from professional status undermines efforts to meet rising mental health needs across the United States. With more than one-third of Americans living in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, any new barrier to entering the mental health field will further harm public well-being.

Take Action Today:

I. Contact your congressional representatives using our VoterVoice system.   https://www.votervoice.net/NBCCGrassroots/Campaigns/131783/Respond

II. Share your personal experience receiving federal student aid and how this support allowed you to complete your education and succeed in your profession.

III. Spread awareness ahead of the 2026 public comment period for higher education rulemaking.