Fresno, CA – Dialysis technician and hemodialysis training programs may soon see major changes to student access and program funding as new federal aid regulations take effect in 2026. Often delivered as short-term healthcare certificates, these programs fall directly under newly tightened federal rules governing program length, accreditation, and graduate earnings.
According to federal guidance, dialysis technician programs that are unaccredited, non-credit, or below 150 instructional hours cannot receive federal Title IV aid. Programs between 150 and 600 hours must now meet strict Workforce Pell requirements, including a 70% completion rate, 70% job placement rate, and tuition that does not exceed graduates’ measured value-added earnings from prior cohorts.
Beginning July 1, 2026, dialysis tech programs will also be subject to the federal “low earnings outcomes” test. Under this rule, programs lose Direct Loan eligibility if graduates earn the same or less than adults with only a high school diploma for two out of three measured years. With many entry-level dialysis technician roles—particularly in outpatient clinics—starting near the median wage of high school graduates, some certificate programs may face difficulty meeting the federal benchmark.
Training providers warn that reduced aid access could worsen staffing shortages in dialysis centers already struggling to meet patient demand.
