119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 8279
This bill expands eligibility for federal student loan programs to include certain foreign graduate medical schools that are not currently covered under the Higher Education Act of 1965. Specifically, it allows graduate medical schools located outside the United States to qualify as eligible institutions if either at least 60 percent of their enrolled students and graduates are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or if they operate state-approved clinical training programs domestically. The change affects students attending these foreign medical schools who wish to access federal student loans under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. The bill does not specify any particular funding amounts or implementation timelines but modifies existing federal loan eligibility criteria. This would primarily impact international medical school students seeking to finance their education through federal loan programs and the schools themselves seeking institutional recognition for student aid purposes.