US Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for International Students, Alarming Universities

The United States has proposed a major shake-up of its Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme with a new OPT fee that could make post-study work permission dramatically more expensive for international students. On 7 October 2026, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled a proposed rule requiring universities and colleges to pay $70,000 for an initial OPT recommendation and $30,000 for subsequent recommendations, including qualifying STEM OPT extensions. The proposal is not yet in effect, and a public comment period is open before any final decision is made.

FAKTA: US Proposed OPT Fee at a Glance

• Proposal: “Optional Practical Training Fees” rule from the US Department of Homeland Security, released 7 October 2026; published in the Federal Register on 8 October 2026 (docket ICEB-2026-0100).
• Initial OPT recommendation: $70,000, paid by the SEVP-certified institution recommending the student.
• Subsequent OPT recommendation (including 24-month STEM extension): $30,000; a student using both stages could generate a combined $100,000 in institutional charges.
• Status: Not yet final — the public has 30 days to comment (through early November 2026); institutions may pass costs to students or employers.
• Stated purpose: Curb OPT fraud, protect American workers, and strengthen immigration compliance.
• Scale: Nearly 290,000 students were authorised for OPT or STEM OPT in 2024.

What the OPT Fee Proposal Would Change

OPT is the programme that lets eligible international students on F-1 visas take up temporary work in the United States that is directly related to their field of study. Graduates generally qualify for up to 12 months of post-completion OPT, while those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can seek a further 24-month extension.

Under the proposed rule, the payment obligation would sit with the institution — not the student — at the point a designated school official “recommends” an F-1 student for OPT. The rule text explicitly allows colleges to recover the cost from the student, the employer, or the student body at large, so families could still face considerable financial exposure even though they are not the government’s designated payer.

Students already approved for OPT before any fee takes effect would not have to pay it.

Proposed Fees Compared with Current OPT Costs

Today’s government charges for OPT are modest compared with what DHS has proposed. The current system relies on the standard Form I-765 employment authorisation filing fee, while the new proposal would add large institutional charges on top.

The two sets of charges are separate obligations: the proposal does not replace the existing USCIS filing fee.

Why US Officials Say the OPT Fee Is Needed

According to the DHS notice, the fee is designed to address suspected abuse of the programme and strengthen immigration compliance. The proposal cites a local NBC investigation that found more than 4,000 people had used shell companies to falsify employment records to receive OPT, as well as a recent DHS investigation that it said found 10,000 F-1 students on OPT “working for highly suspect employers”.

DHS argues the fee would push colleges to recommend only eligible students pursuing OPT directly related to their major programme of study, “thereby ensuring both F-1 nonimmigrant students and employers benefit from OPT”. The department also contends that universities “should be able to attract foreign students without relying on OPT and STEM OPT”, writing that students rely on many factors when choosing a school.

Universities and Educators Push Back

International education organisations reacted swiftly, warning the rule would further deter foreigners from studying in the United States. Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said practical training gives international students the same hands-on experience as their domestic peers while filling shortages in high-demand STEM fields, and warned that driving away international talent would hurt American innovation, economic growth, workforce development and global leadership. Aw also pointed to research finding that OPT does not take job opportunities away from US workers.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities expressed doubt that colleges and universities can afford to shoulder the $70,000 fee, calling the proposal “deeply flawed”.

OPT is widely seen as a major draw for international students considering US universities, and enrolment of foreign students has already softened at some institutions that rely on their tuition revenue. Universities now face difficult choices: absorb the charges, recover them from students or employers, or become more selective about recommending students for OPT at all.

What It Could Mean for Students Worldwide

The potential impact stretches far beyond American campuses. In 2024, 165,524 student records held STEM OPT authorisation, with Indian nationals accounting for 48 per cent of post-completion STEM OPT participants and Chinese students another 20.4 per cent, according to official US figures reported in the coverage.

For families weighing education destinations, the possibility of sharply higher post-study employment costs adds another factor alongside tuition, living expenses and academic quality. Even universities that absorb the charges may become more selective about which students they recommend, introducing new uncertainty into international education plans for millions of students worldwide.

DHS’s own economic analysis projects the rule could generate between roughly $8.4 billion and $16.5 billion a year in fees under different participation assumptions, with a primary estimate of about $12.4 billion annually — modelling estimates, not confirmed revenue. The department expects the fee to shrink the pool of OPT participants.

The proposal is the latest in a string of immigration-related cost measures: the administration has twice attempted to attach a $100,000 fee to H-1B skilled-worker visas, the first attempt being rejected by a court, and several legislators have called for OPT to be ended entirely.

Conclusion

The proposed $70,000 OPT fee would fundamentally reshape the economics of post-study work in the United States if finalised. Framed by officials as a fraud-fighting measure, it is viewed by universities as a policy that could deter the very students American higher education depends on. With the comment window open through early November 2026, international students, universities and employers are watching closely — and many families are already reassessing where the next degree will be earned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the $70,000 OPT fee already in effect?

No. It is a proposed rule released on 7 October 2026 and published in the Federal Register on 8 October 2026. A 30-day public comment period must close, and DHS must review and respond to comments before any final rule can be issued.

Who would pay the proposed OPT fee?

The institution recommending the student for OPT would formally pay — $70,000 for an initial recommendation and $30,000 for subsequent ones. The rule allows colleges to pass the cost to students, employers or the student body at large.

What is the difference between OPT and STEM OPT?

Post-completion OPT generally allows up to 12 months of work authorisation related to a graduate’s field of study. The STEM OPT extension adds up to 24 more months for eligible science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates.

How many students currently use OPT?

Nearly 290,000 students were authorised for OPT or STEM OPT in 2024, and participation had been rising for several years before the proposal.