What does Preamble of Nursing is a Professional Degree Act do?

This bill proposes to amend the definition of 'professional student' within the Higher Education Act of 1965.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Nursing is a Professional Degree Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act.

What does PROFESSIONAL STUDENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREE DEFINED. of Nursing is a Professional Degree Act do?

This section amends Section 455(a)(4)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It removes a reference to a specific Code of Federal Regulations section regarding professional students. It defines 'professional degree' as a degree signifying completion of academic requirements for practice and a level of skill beyond a bachelor's degree. The definition of 'professional degree' includes specific degrees such as Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), and Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M). The list of included degrees extends to Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), Medicine (M.D.), and Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.), among others. The Secretary is authorized to determine if other degrees meet the requirements of the definition.

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Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

Last updated: 5/19/2026 · Introduced: 5/19/2026

Author: Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to update the definition of 'professional student'.
It establishes a new definition of 'professional degree' encompassing fields like medicine, law, dentistry, and pharmacy, signifying advanced academic and skill levels.
The Secretary of Education is granted authority to determine if additional degrees qualify as 'professional degrees' under the revised definition.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 8659(In Committee)Official page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

3 sections

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