.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
News
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) recognizes ED’s intent to create clear and consistent criteria for what constitutes a professional degree, but we are disheartened and concerned by the proposed definition and its potential impacts. Graduate students in critical healthcare fields could be significantly limited in accessing federal financing, posing potential impacts on social work education, and the supply of practitioners.
Under ED’s initial framework, a professional student would be defined as a student in a professional degree program that requires “completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree,” has a 4-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, and includes a path to professional licensure. The proposed definition that emerged and reached consensus excluded social work programs and several other health-related professions critical to public health.
CSWE joined with the Federation of Associations of Schools of Health Professions (FASHP) in urging ED to use CIP Code 51 (Health Professions and Related Programs) and related codes as a guide for determining professional degree eligibility. Not only are the professions represented as part of the CIP code critical to our nation’s health and wellbeing, but they also largely align with ED’s original framework. Using these CIP codes would help prevent unjustified distinctions (such as those based on program length) and those not reflective of the rigor or value of a given health profession.
Excluding social work from professional degree eligibility, combined with the OBBBA’s proposed elimination of Graduate PLUS loans, could make it more difficult for students to pursue graduate education in critical service professions. Preliminary data suggest that 370,000 students could be affected by the new definition and more than $8 billion in federal loans will no longer be available for student access (roughly 22 percent of annual federal loan disbursements).
Social workers provide the majority of mental and behavioral health services in the US and play a key role in providing critical support for children, the elderly, veterans, and other vulnerable populations across the country. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for social workers is expected to continue growing over the next decade, even as many communities already face workforce shortages. Ensuring access to affordable graduate education is therefore essential to maintaining a strong and sustainable social work workforce.
Since the passage of OBBBA, CSWE has remained committed to advocating on behalf of our membership by actively engaging with ED to share data, program information, and workforce evidence supporting the inclusion of social work as a professional degree. The organization has submitted formal comments to ED, delivered public remarks during ED’s listening sessions, and issued public statements to raise awareness of the issue. We have also actively communicated with our member institutions to gather input and intelligence on how the proposed changes would affect students and programs, and coordinated closely with partner organizations and coalitions representing health professions to present unified recommendations to ED. In addition, CSWE has met with congressional champions and committee staff to emphasize the importance of maintaining access to affordable graduate education in social work and related fields.
The proposed regulations will be open for comment before being finalized. CSWE will continue to engage with members of Congress and partner organizations to advocate for adequate access to student financial assistance to support social work students and the communities they serve.
Published on : November 12, 2025
On November 7, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) concluded negotiated rulemaking by the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) committee focused on restructuring student loans, phasing out Grad PLUS loans for graduate and professional students, establishing new loan limits, and simplifying repayment plans as established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As part of this rulemaking, ED proposed and reached consensus on a definition of “professional student” that would impact borrowing capacity for current and future social work students.The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) recognizes ED’s intent to create clear and consistent criteria for what constitutes a professional degree, but we are disheartened and concerned by the proposed definition and its potential impacts. Graduate students in critical healthcare fields could be significantly limited in accessing federal financing, posing potential impacts on social work education, and the supply of practitioners.
Under ED’s initial framework, a professional student would be defined as a student in a professional degree program that requires “completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree,” has a 4-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, and includes a path to professional licensure. The proposed definition that emerged and reached consensus excluded social work programs and several other health-related professions critical to public health.
CSWE joined with the Federation of Associations of Schools of Health Professions (FASHP) in urging ED to use CIP Code 51 (Health Professions and Related Programs) and related codes as a guide for determining professional degree eligibility. Not only are the professions represented as part of the CIP code critical to our nation’s health and wellbeing, but they also largely align with ED’s original framework. Using these CIP codes would help prevent unjustified distinctions (such as those based on program length) and those not reflective of the rigor or value of a given health profession.
Excluding social work from professional degree eligibility, combined with the OBBBA’s proposed elimination of Graduate PLUS loans, could make it more difficult for students to pursue graduate education in critical service professions. Preliminary data suggest that 370,000 students could be affected by the new definition and more than $8 billion in federal loans will no longer be available for student access (roughly 22 percent of annual federal loan disbursements).
Social workers provide the majority of mental and behavioral health services in the US and play a key role in providing critical support for children, the elderly, veterans, and other vulnerable populations across the country. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for social workers is expected to continue growing over the next decade, even as many communities already face workforce shortages. Ensuring access to affordable graduate education is therefore essential to maintaining a strong and sustainable social work workforce.
Since the passage of OBBBA, CSWE has remained committed to advocating on behalf of our membership by actively engaging with ED to share data, program information, and workforce evidence supporting the inclusion of social work as a professional degree. The organization has submitted formal comments to ED, delivered public remarks during ED’s listening sessions, and issued public statements to raise awareness of the issue. We have also actively communicated with our member institutions to gather input and intelligence on how the proposed changes would affect students and programs, and coordinated closely with partner organizations and coalitions representing health professions to present unified recommendations to ED. In addition, CSWE has met with congressional champions and committee staff to emphasize the importance of maintaining access to affordable graduate education in social work and related fields.
The proposed regulations will be open for comment before being finalized. CSWE will continue to engage with members of Congress and partner organizations to advocate for adequate access to student financial assistance to support social work students and the communities they serve.