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S. 4568Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

Sponsored by Jeff MerkleySen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Introduced May 19, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated June 2, 2026 at 5:41 AM UTC

The Nursing is a Professional Degree Act changes the Higher Education Act’s definition of a “professional student” to formally recognize nursing graduate degrees as professional degrees. By adding nursing to the list of fields that qualify, the bill affects students pursuing advanced nursing credentials, colleges that award those degrees, and any federal programs that use the professional‑student definition, such as financial‑aid eligibility.

Key Provisions

  • Removes a reference to a specific CFR definition of “professional student.”
  • Adds a new definition of “professional degree” that requires completion of academic requirements for practice and a skill level beyond a bachelor’s degree.
  • Specifies a list of professions that qualify, explicitly including nursing degrees (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D.).
  • Allows the Secretary of Education to add other degrees that meet the new criteria.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

May 19, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 19, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

May 19, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 19, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4568

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 19, 2026

Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Lummis, Ms. Murkowski, and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the definition of professional student in the Higher Education Act of 1965.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act.

2.

Professional student and professional degree defined

Section 455(a)(4)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(a)(4)(C)) is amended—

(1)

in clause (ii), by striking , as defined under section 668.2 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this paragraph),; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(iii)

Professional degree

In this paragraph, the term professional degree —

(I)

means a degree that signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession (for which professional licensure is also commonly required), and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor’s degree; and

(II)

includes each of the following:

(aa)

Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).

(bb)

Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.).

(cc)

Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.).

(dd)

Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.).

(ee)

Law (L.L.B. or J.D.).

(ff)

Medicine (M.D.).

(gg)

Optometry (O.D.).

(hh)

Osteopathic Medicine or Osteopathy (D.O.).

(ii)

Podiatric Medicine or Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.).

(jj)

Theology or Theological Studies (M.Div. or M.H.L.).

(kk)

Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.).

(ll)

Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D).

(mm)

Any other degree that meets the requirements of subclause (I), as determined by the Secretary.

.