Department of Education Leaves out Social Workers in RISE Final Rule

Department of Education Leaves out Social Workers in RISE Final Rule

May 01, 2026

Despite the overwhelming number of comments to the Department of Education in response to the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) proposed rule, the recently finalized rule maintains their list of professional programs for the purposes of student loan limits. They are also maintaining that individuals in the Tiered Standard repayment plan will not be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Starting July 1, 2026, social work students will have lower federal student loan limits than degrees that the Department considers professional to include Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.), Theology (M.Div., or M.H.L.), and Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.).

The annual loan limits for social work students will be $20,500 with an aggregate limit of $100,000 whereas the limits for students in "professional" degree programs will be $50,000 annually and $200,000 aggregate.

NASW submitted comments to the Department of Education in response to the RISE Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. NASW argued that social work should be considered a professional degree for the purposes of student loan limits and that the Tiered Standard repayment plan should be eligible for PSLF.

While waiting for the final rule, NASW staff had been meeting with Congressional offices to urge support for legislation that would allow social worker students to have access to the higher student loan limits. Staff are continuing to meet with Congressional offices on this issue.

Three bills in Congress would rectify this issue for social work students. The Professional Student Degree Act (H.R. 6718) is a bipartisan bill that would add social work to the list of degrees considered professional. The Loan Equity for Advance Professionals Act (H.R. 6574) would establish uniform borrowing limits for all graduate and professional students. The Professional Degree Access Restoration Act (S. 4039/H.R. 6677) would reverse the student loan restrictions and reinstate the Grad PLUS loan program.

NASW has also been working in coalition to pursue a technical correction to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law No. 119-21) so that the Tiered Standard repayment plan can count towards PSLF.