Local university responds federal funding changes
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A change in wording could make a difference of thousands of dollars for some students seeking advanced degrees.
President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” proposes a new loan-borrowing limit for certain graduate programs.
If the plan is implemented, only students pursuing what are classified as professional degrees will be eligible for the higher level of assistance.
Those pursuing what are deemed as “non-professional” degrees will have assistance, such as student loans, capped at a much lower rate.
One of those degree fields that would be considered “non-professional” is Nursing.
“A lot of students also know the affordability of our programs. Tuition here is much, much lower than the cap that they are discussing for these loans. So, I don’t think that it will impact quite as many of our students,” said Dr. Brandy Larmon, MUW Dean of the Vandergriff College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Mississippi University for Women is ranked number one in the state for Nursing Education.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education released a statement saying that a committee met to “simplify the federal student loan repayment system.”
Students in non-professional graduate programs will be limited to borrowing $20,500 a year and a max of $100,000 for life.
With a growing number of nursing graduate applicants, MUW said one of its attractions is the three-semester program for a Master’s in Nursing.
“And so, when you look that short amount of time, with the affordability of our program, a lot of students are able to come through with very little debt,” said Larmon.
MUW also said that the nursing students – both grad and undergrad — get a lot of financial assistance from donors and scholarships the school offers.
The U.S. Department of Education said “80% of the workforce does not have a graduate degree.”
You only need an Associate or Bachelor of Science to become a registered nurse.
“Bedside, and acute care and long-term care. Basically, you can do anything in nursing, as a registered nurse except for that advanced degree for nurse practitioner or CRNA,” said Larmon.
MUW only offers an MSN track for Family Nurse Practitioner.
The new changes would also end the Grad PLUS program, no longer allowing grad students to borrow up to the full amount of their school’s tuition.
If proposed changes are passed, they will go into effect July 2026.
The Department of Education claims 95% of nursing students won’t be affected by the new loan caps.
