U.S. Dubs Theology Students as Nonprofessional, Limits Loan Amounts

July 2, 2026 – In a USA Today article about how the U.S. Department of Education recently bumped theology studies to nonprofessional status, meaning theology graduate students will no longer be eligible for the lower federal loan amounts that those enrolled in professional degree programs can receive, Stacey MacPhetres, senior director of education finance at Bright Horizons, shares insights on the topic. 

Stacey MacPhetres, senior director of education finance at Bright Horizons, said the court pause makes eligibility for higher loan caps "temporarily uncertain until further guidance is issued."

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