The U.S. Department of Education is updating how it defines "professional degree programs." This decision will determine how much federal student loan funding dietetics graduate students can access. Right now, nutrition and dietetics programs are not clearly included in the list of professional degree programs.
If excluded, future registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) may face:
- Lower federal loan limits
- Loss of Grad PLUS loan eligibility
- Reliance on higher-interest private loans
- Delayed or abandoned training
Without appropriate loan access, many qualified students will not be able to enter the profession. This is not only a financial aid issue. It is a health care workforce issue.
The U.S. Department of Education accepted public comments through March 2.
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