Federal Judge Blocks Key Portion of Student Loan Rule: Department Includes Professional Degree Status for Audiology Programs

Audiology students received an important, though temporary, victory after a federal court blocked a key provision of the U.S. Department of Education’s new student loan regulations, prompting the department to include Doctor of Audiology (AuD) programs to the list of professional degree programs eligible for higher federal borrowing limits.

On June 25, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Department from implementing its revised definition of a “professional degree.” Earlier this year, the department’sReimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Final Rule had narrowed the definition to just 11 professions—including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, and optometry—excluding numerous healthcare professions such as audiology, advanced nursing, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology.

Judge Howell found that Congress, through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), incorporated a longstanding federal regulatory definition of “professional degree” into statute. Because that definition had historically been broader and non-exhaustive, the court concluded that the department likely exceeded its authority by adopting a more restrictive definition through regulation. As a result, the department must continue using the prior definition while the litigation proceeds.

Department Restores Audiology Programs

In response to the court’s order, the Department of Education issued updated implementation guidance confirming that Doctor of Audiology (AuD) programswill once again be treated as professional degree programs for purposes of federal student aid during the court’s stay.

The department also restored professional degree status for several other healthcare programs, including:

1. Speech-language pathology
2. Physician assistant
3. Physical therapy
4. Occupational therapy
5. Athletic training
6. Advanced nursing
7. Nurse anesthesia
8. Nursing practice

As a result, eligible AuD students may continue to qualify for the higher federal borrowing limits available to professional degree students while the litigation remains pending.

Borrowing Limits Still Change July 1

While the court blocked the department’s narrowed definition of professional degrees, it did not stop the broader student loan changes enacted by Congress.

Beginning July 1, 2026:

1. Graduate students remain subject to a $20,500 annual borrowing limit and a $100,000 aggregate limit.
2. Students enrolled in programs classified as professional degree programs may borrow up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 in aggregate.

The injunction affects only which academic programs qualify for the higher professional student borrowing limits—not the borrowing caps themselves.

In addition, the department emphasized that most provisions of the RISE Final Rule remain in effect, including:

1. Elimination of the Grad PLUS Loan Program;
2. Implementation of the new annual and aggregate federal loan limits; and
3. Creation of the new Repayment Assistance Plan and Tiered Standard Repayment Plan.

Temporary Relief While Litigation Continues

The department has made clear that restoring these programs is an interim administrative action required by the court’s order and that it intends to appeal the ruling. The professional degree designations remain in effect only for the duration of the court’s stay (which is undefined) and could change depending on the outcome of the litigation.

For audiology, the decision provides important temporary relief from a policy that would have classified AuD programs as standard graduate education rather than professional education. The American Academy of Audiology has consistently expressed our concern with the Department of Education and with congressional leaders that limiting access to federal student aid would create additional financial barriers for students entering the profession at a time when demand for hearing healthcare services continues to grow.

The Academy will continue to monitor the litigation and advocate for permanent recognition of audiology as a professional degree program to ensure students maintain access to the federal financial aid needed to complete their education.