WASHINGTON (Nov. 18) — The Trump administration has moved to transfer parts of the Department of Education to different government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

These departments will manage programs that are currently run by the Department of Education. 

This step is an effort in President Trump’s overall goal to completely eliminate the Department of Education and handing responsibilities over to the states, a part of an executive order he signed in March. 

“The Trump administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. 

Since only Congress can eliminate the Department of Education, the Trump administration intends to begin dismantling from within. 

Among these actions the Trump administration has also redefined what degrees are considered professional, which raises question and worry among those in graduate programs. 

This will impact students by determining the amount of student loans they are able to borrow for their graduate programs.  

According to USA Today, the Big Beautiful Bill that was signed on July 4 will eliminate the Grad PLUS Loan program that allows students to enroll in programs that focus on medicine, law and other intensive careers. 

Students will now be capped at a $65,000 limit through the Parent PLUS program.  

The main worry for students is that those who are earning degrees that are deemed not “professional” will be capped at $100,000 overall, while those with “professional” degrees can borrow up to $200,000. 

These changes are set to take place July 1, 2026.