The U.S. Department of Education has reclassified architecture, nursing, and physical therapy degrees, removing their status as "professional" programmes for federal student loan purposes. Under the new rules, students in previously professional courses will face a loan cap of $50,000, while nonprofessional programmes, including design degrees, are limited to $20,500.
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The change has provoked swift criticism from schools and professional organisations. A Yale School of Architecture professor emerita described the move as consistent with a view that architecture is "nothing more than shopping for gold objects." Industry groups such as the AIA and ACSA have also opposed the ruling.
The policy aims to curb tuition inflation, but its broader impact is uncertain. Top architecture schools charge more than $60,000 annually, raising concerns that reduced borrowing may limit enrolment or push students toward higher-interest private loans. The shift could indirectly benefit interior designers if fewer students enter architecture, though graduate design programmes face the same borrowing restrictions.
The Department of Education's ruling is currently open for public comment and may be amended before it takes effect. The full implications for design education and the profession remain unclear.
Source: www.businessofhome.com
