The Department of Education (DOE) has updated its definition of “professional degrees,” a classification that determines federal student loan eligibility for graduate programs. Historically, social work has been recognized as a professional degree, allowing MSW students to access federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and other critical funding. Under the proposed rule, social work would no longer meet the professional degree criteria, creating significant financial barriers for students. This change comes amid growing demand for social workers in behavioral health, child welfare, education, and community services—sectors already facing severe workforce shortages.
CSWE and the Social Work Leadership Roundtable are advocating to ensure social work retains its professional degree status and continued access to federal financial aid. See below for talking points you can use in your advocacy to protect the social work profession.
Why does this matter?
Bottom line?
WHAT ARE WE CALLING FOR?
Additional policy priorities:
How to submit comments?
What to include in your comment:
After you comment:
February 11, 2026 to March 2, 2026
Facebook Posts
Social Work is a Profession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Charts on Impact of Professional Degree Definition
- Almost 678,000 women who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered for the new, higher "professional" loan limits
- Almost 368,000 students of color who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered under the new limits
According to EdTrust, DOE's proposed changes "would deliberately underfund the degrees that staff hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations ... worsening existing workforce shortages and reducing access to care for millions of Americans."
Click the link below before March 2 and tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
MSW Impact
Fewer graduates means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs.
You can make a difference for students by urging the DOE to include social work as a professional degree! Click the link below and comment before March 2! #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Community Impact
Limiting access to MSW education will deepen workforce shortages, increase wait times, and leave communities without critical care.
Take action before March 2: visit the link below and urge the DOE to include social work in its final definition of professional degrees. This decision isn’t about semantics—it has real consequences for students, communities, and public systems nationwide. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Take Action
We are calling on the Department of Education to:
- Include social work in their final definition of professional degrees
- Preserve equitable access to federal student loans for MSW students
- Strengthen—not restrict—pathways into the profession
Visit the link below and share your support before the public comment period ends on March 2. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Taxpayer Impact
Higher recruitment costs, reduced continuity of care, and strained public systems weaken outcomes for everyone.
Before March 2, visit the link below and urge the DOE to preserve access to MSW education by including social work in its final definition of professional degrees. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Posts
Social Work is a Profession
By excluding social work from its definition of professional degrees, @usedgov is limiting access to student loans for MSW students. Fewer students = fewer social workers for America's mental health needs. Tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
MSW Impacts
@usedgov's move to exclude social work from its list of professional degrees would make it harder for MSW students to enter the profession. Make a difference for students & urge DOE to include social work as a professional degree! #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Community Impact
Social workers are the backbone of the US mental health workforce. Limiting access to social work education will deepen workforce shortages. Urge @usedgov to include social work in its final definition of professional degrees. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Charts on Impact of Professional Degree Definition
What's the impact of @usedgov's new definition of professional degrees? Hundreds of thousands of students who studied at the graduate level in 2023 wouldn't be considered for new, higher loan limits. Tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Take Action
We call on @usedgov to:
- Include social work in its definition of professional degrees
- Preserve equitable access to federal student loans for MSW students
- Strengthen pathways into social work
Click & share your comments. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Taxpayer Impact
When social work education becomes less accessible, workforce shortages grow—and taxpayers pay the price. Click the link & urge @usedgov to include social work in its final definition of professional degrees. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Instagram
Social Work is a Profession!
By excluding social work from its definition of "professional" degrees, the Department of Education is limiting access to federal student loans for MSW students. Fewer students means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs. Visit the link in bio and tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
LINK: https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
MSW Impacts
Many Master's of Social Work students rely on federal loans to afford graduate education. But the Department of Education's recent move to exclude social work from its list of professional degrees would make it harder for MSW students—especially those from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds—to enter the profession.
Fewer graduates means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs.
You can make a difference for students by urging the DOE to include social work as a professional degree! Click the link in bio and comment before March 2! #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Community Impact
Social workers are the backbone of the U.S. mental health workforce—serving in child welfare, behavioral health, schools, healthcare, and community settings.
Limiting access to MSW education will deepen workforce shortages, increase wait times, and leave communities without critical care.
Take action before March 2: visit the link in bio and urge the DOE to include social work in its final definition of professional degrees. This decision isn’t about semantics—it has real consequences for students, communities, and public systems nationwide. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Charts on Impact of Professional Degree Definition
What's the impact of the Department of Education's new definition of professional degrees? According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics:
- Almost 678,000 women who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered for the new, higher "professional" loan limits
- Almost 368,000 students of color who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered under the new limits
According to EdTrust, the DOE's proposed changes "would deliberately underfund the degrees that staff hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations ... worsening existing workforce shortages and reducing access to care for millions of Americans."
Click the link in bio before March 2 and tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Take Action
Take action to protect social work education!
We are calling on the Department of Education to:
- Include social work in the final definition of professional degrees
- Preserve equitable access to federal student loans for MSW students
- Strengthen—not restrict—pathways into the profession
Visit the link below and share your support before the public comment period ends on March 2. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Taxpayer Impact
When social work education becomes less accessible, workforce shortages in mental health and social services grow—and taxpayers pay the price.
Higher recruitment costs, reduced continuity of care, and strained public systems weaken outcomes for everyone.
Before March 2, visit the link below and urge the DOE to preserve access to MSW education by including social work in its final definition of professional degrees. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Linkedin
Social Work is a Profession!
By excluding social work from its definition of "professional" degrees, the Department of Education is limiting access to federal student loans for MSW students. Fewer students means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs. Visit the link below before March 2 and tell DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
MSW Impacts
Many Master's of Social Work students rely on federal loans to afford graduate education. But the Department of Education's recent move to exclude social work from its list of professional degrees would make it harder for MSW students—especially those from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds—to enter the profession.
Fewer graduates means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs.
You can make a difference for students by urging the DOE to include social work as a professional degree! Click the link below and comment before March 2! #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Community Impact
Social workers are the backbone of the U.S. mental health workforce—serving in child welfare, behavioral health, schools, healthcare, and community settings.
Limiting access to MSW education will deepen workforce shortages, increase wait times, and leave communities without critical care.
Take action before March 2: visit the link below and urge the DOE to include social work in its final definition of professional degrees. This decision isn’t about semantics—it has real consequences for students, communities, and public systems nationwide. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Charts on Impact of Professional Degree Definition
What's the impact of the Department of Education's new definition of professional degrees? According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics:
- Almost 678,000 women who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered for the new, higher "professional" loan limits
- Almost 368,000 students of color who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered under the new limits
According to EdTrust, the DOE's proposed changes "would deliberately underfund the degrees that staff hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations ... worsening existing workforce shortages and reducing access to care for millions of Americans."
Click the link below before March 2 and tell the DOE that #SocialWorkIsAProfession!
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Take Action
Take action to protect social work education!
We are calling on the Department of Education to:
- Include social work in their final definition of professional degrees
- Preserve equitable access to federal student loans for MSW students
- Strengthen—not restrict—pathways into the profession
Visit the link below and share your support before the public comment period ends on March 2. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
Taxpayer Impact
When social work education becomes less accessible, workforce shortages in mental health and social services grow—and taxpayers pay the price.
Higher recruitment costs, reduced continuity of care, and strained public systems weaken outcomes for everyone.
Before March 2, visit the link below and urge the DOE to preserve access to MSW education by including social work in its final definition of professional degrees. #SocialWorkIsAProfession
https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2025-OPE-0944-0001
Feb. 11 through March 2
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