The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a major change to the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program that could significantly affect international students, universities, and U.S. employers.
Under the proposed rule, an SEVP-certified educational institution would have to pay $70,000 for an F-1 student’s initial OPT recommendation. A subsequent OPT recommendation for the same student would require an additional $30,000 fee. The proposal is intended to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system, and protect U.S. workers.
The proposal is not currently a final rule. It must go through the federal rulemaking process, including a public-comment period, before DHS could implement the fees.
What Is Optional Practical Training?
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a form of temporary employment authorization available to eligible F-1 international students. It allows students to obtain practical work experience related to their academic field.
For many international students, particularly those pursuing STEM degrees, OPT is an important part of the transition from academic study to professional employment in the United States.
Eligible STEM graduates may also qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, potentially allowing up to 36 months of practical training.
What Is DHS Proposing?
The proposed rule, titled “Optional Practical Training Fees,” would establish two significant fees.
The first would be a $70,000 fee for initial OPT. The fee would be paid by the SEVP-certified school before its Designated School Official (DSO) makes the student’s first OPT recommendation.
A $30,000 fee would apply to a subsequent OPT recommendation for a student who had already participated in OPT and for whom the initial $70,000 fee had been paid.
The proposal would cover different types of OPT, including pre-completion and post-completion OPT. DHS’s analysis also treats STEM OPT as a subsequent OPT authorization.
Would Students Actually Pay the $70,000?
Technically, the proposed fee would be imposed on the SEVP-certified educational institution, rather than being a direct USCIS application fee charged to the student.
However, the economic impact could extend to students and employers.
DHS’s proposal allows institutions to determine how they handle the financial cost associated with OPT. Immigration-law analysts have noted that schools could potentially seek to recover the cost from students or employers.
This creates significant uncertainty for students deciding whether to study in the United States and for universities determining whether they can continue supporting OPT participation at the same level.
Why Is DHS Proposing Such a Large Fee?
DHS says the proposed fees are intended to combat fraud and abuse in the OPT program, strengthen immigration-system integrity, protect U.S. workers, and reduce government resources associated with OPT investigations.
According to DHS, requiring schools to pay a substantial fee would encourage institutions to conduct more extensive reviews before recommending students for OPT.
The agency also argues that the financial structure could help ensure that OPT opportunities are legitimate and consistent with the requirements of the F-1 program.
Potential Impact on Universities
The proposal could create a substantial financial burden for universities and other SEVP-certified institutions.
A school that recommends multiple students for OPT could potentially face millions of dollars in fees if the proposed rule is finalized and OPT participation remains at historical levels.
Universities may therefore reconsider their OPT policies, introduce additional internal review procedures, or explore ways to recover the costs.
The proposal could also influence how institutions recruit international students because OPT availability is an important consideration for many students choosing U.S. educational programs.
Potential Impact on International Students
The proposed rule could have a particularly significant effect on international students who depend on OPT to gain professional experience after graduation.
Potential consequences could include:
- Higher costs associated with obtaining work authorization
- Fewer institutions willing to recommend students for OPT
- Increased financial uncertainty for international students
- Reduced employment opportunities after graduation
- Changes in international student enrollment decisions
- Greater difficulty for employers seeking international graduates
The proposal may be particularly consequential for students in technology, engineering, healthcare, and other STEM-related fields where international graduates contribute to the U.S. workforce.
Industry and higher-education groups have already expressed concerns about the proposal. NAFSA, for example, said the proposed fee structure could negatively affect U.S. innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global competitiveness.
What About STEM OPT?
STEM OPT could be especially important under the proposed fee structure.
DHS’s proposal treats a later OPT recommendation for a student who has already participated in OPT as subject to the $30,000 subsequent fee. DHS’s analysis specifically assigns STEM OPT extensions to the subsequent-fee category.
Therefore, if the proposal becomes final, a school could potentially face a $70,000 initial fee followed by a $30,000 fee for a subsequent OPT recommendation.
This could make STEM OPT significantly more expensive for institutions and potentially change how schools approach international student employment authorization.
When Would the New Fees Take Effect?
The proposed fees are not currently in effect.
The rule was released for public inspection and is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. The proposal provides for public comments, and the comment deadline is currently listed as November 9, 2026.
If DHS ultimately issues a final rule, the proposal states that the new fee structure would apply after the specified transition period. A final rule could also be modified following public comments.
Students and schools should therefore continue following the current OPT procedures unless and until DHS officially changes the requirements.
What Should F-1 Students and Schools Do Now?
International students with upcoming OPT plans should not assume that they must currently pay or arrange for a $70,000 fee.
Instead, students should continue working with their school’s international student office and monitor official DHS, USCIS, and SEVP announcements.
Universities should review the proposal carefully and consider submitting comments during the rulemaking process. Employers that depend on international graduates may also want to assess how the proposed fees could affect future recruitment.
Because immigration rules can change quickly, students with individual immigration concerns should consider obtaining advice from a qualified immigration attorney.
Conclusion
DHS’s proposal to require $70,000 for an initial OPT recommendation and $30,000 for subsequent OPT recommendations could represent one of the most significant changes to the economics of the F-1 OPT program in recent years.
Although the proposed payment obligation falls on SEVP-certified schools, the broader consequences could reach international students, universities, employers, and U.S. industries.
For now, the $70,000 fee is only a proposal and is not currently in effect. The final outcome will depend on public comments, DHS’s review, possible revisions, and the final rulemaking process.
Immigration Fleet Law Firm