F-1 OPT Explained 2026: Eligibility, Timeline, Fees and the Proposed $70,000 OPT Fee

Optional Practical Training (OPT) lets F-1 students work in a job directly related to their major for up to 12 months per degree level. Most students use it after graduation. You apply on Form I-765 up to 90 days before and no later than 60 days after your program end date, and within 30 days of your school’s recommendation in SEVIS.

Key points

• 12 months per degree level. Any pre-completion OPT you use is deducted from post-completion OPT.
• As of October 2026, the I-765 fee is $520 on paper or $470 online. Optional premium processing costs $1,780.
• You can be unemployed for at most 90 days on post-completion OPT.
• A DHS proposal published October 8, 2026 would charge schools $70,000 for a student’s first OPT period and $30,000 for later periods. It is not in effect; comments close November 9, 2026.
• STEM graduates can extend for 24 more months. See our STEM OPT guide.

Who is eligible

You need to be in valid F-1 status and have been enrolled full time for at least one full academic year at an SEVP-certified school. The work must relate directly to your field of study. Your DSO must recommend OPT in SEVIS before you file, and the recommendation appears on a new I-20.

Pre-completion vs post-completion OPT

	Pre-completion OPT	Post-completion OPT
When	After one full academic year, while still studying	After you finish your program
Hours	Up to 20 per week during term; full time in breaks	At least 20 hours per week; full time allowed
Filing window	Up to 90 days before you complete one academic year	90 days before to 60 days after program end
Effect	Time used is subtracted from the 12 months	Uses the remaining months

Most students save all 12 months for after graduation. Information is from the USCIS OPT page.

The filing timeline

Two windows apply at once, and you must meet both:

1. Program window: no earlier than 90 days before your program end date and no later than 60 days after it.
2. DSO window: within 30 days of the date your DSO enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS.

Example: your program ends May 15. You can file from about February 14 until about July 14. If your DSO enters the recommendation on March 1, you must file by March 31.

You choose a requested start date, which for post-completion OPT must fall within the 60 days after your program end date. Your employment can begin only once you have the EAD card in hand and the start date has arrived.

The 60-day grace period

If you do not apply for OPT, your F-1 status ends 60 days after your program end date. If you file late, USCIS will deny the application, and there is no way to fix a missed deadline.

How to apply step by step

1. Talk to your DSO about your requested start date and get the OPT recommendation in SEVIS.
2. Receive the new I-20 showing the recommendation.
3. File Form I-765 under category (c)(3)(B) for post-completion OPT (or (c)(3)(A) for pre-completion). You can file online or by mail.
4. Include: the I-20 with the recommendation, passport and visa, I-94, any previous EADs, two passport photos (paper filings), and the fee.
5. Optional premium processing with Form I-907.
6. Wait for the EAD card. Track your case on the USCIS website.
7. Report employment to your DSO or through the SEVP Portal within 10 days of starting.

OPT fees in 2026

From the G-1055 fee schedule, edition 10/07/26:

Item	Fee
Form I-765 (paper)	$520
Form I-765 (online)	$470
Premium processing (Form I-907)	$1,780

Premium processing for OPT means USCIS acts on the case within 30 business days (USCIS).

Rules while on OPT

• Unemployment limit: 90 days in total during post-completion OPT. Days with no qualifying job count. Going over this limit is a status violation.
• Job relatedness: each job must relate to your degree. Paid or unpaid work can count if it is at least 20 hours per week and related to your field.
• Reporting: report employer changes, address changes and job details within 10 days.
• Travel: leaving the US after graduation on OPT is possible but risky without an EAD and a job. Talk to your DSO before booking travel.
• Changing schools or starting a new degree ends your OPT automatically.

Cap-gap: OPT to H-1B

If your employer files a timely H-1B cap petition with a change of status request for you, your F-1 status and work authorization can be extended past your OPT end date while the petition is pending. This is called cap-gap. Under a 2025 USCIS rule, cap-gap protection runs until April 1 of the fiscal year for which H-1B status is requested, which covers the gap if a petition is still pending when October 1 arrives. See our guide to the weighted H-1B lottery.

The proposed OPT fees (not in effect)

On October 8, 2026, DHS published a proposed rule on OPT fees. According to the DHS announcement:

• $70,000 per student for the first OPT period, and $30,000 for any later OPT period.
• The school would pay it before the DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS. USCIS would not approve the EAD if the fee had not been paid.
• Comments are open from October 8 to November 9, 2026.

What this means today:

• Nothing changes yet. A proposed rule has no legal effect. You still pay only the normal I-765 fee.
• DHS must review comments and publish a final rule before any fee applies. Final rules often change from the proposal, and large new fees are often challenged in court.
• The announcement does not say how schools would handle the cost or whether they could pass it to students.

Anyone can submit a comment on the Federal Register page for the rule before November 9, 2026.

Common OPT mistakes

• Filing outside a window. Missing either the 60-day post-completion deadline or the 30-day DSO deadline leads to denial.
• Choosing a poor start date. Your 12 months start on the EAD start date, whether or not you have a job. A date too early can waste months; a date too late can leave you unable to work while you wait.
• Starting work before the card arrives. Work on a first OPT application is only allowed once the EAD is approved and the start date has arrived.
• Not reporting a job. Unreported employment can make it look as if you have been unemployed, and unemployment days add up.
• Taking an unrelated job. Work outside your field does not count as OPT employment.
• Ignoring address changes. USCIS mails the EAD card to the address on file. Use a reliable address, and update USCIS and your DSO if you move.

Related rules to know

• CPT guidance: SEVP broadcast messages in August 2026 narrowed when Curricular Practical Training counts as “integral” to a program, which affects Day 1 CPT programs. This is separate from OPT.
• Duration of status: the DHS rule that would have replaced duration of status with fixed admission periods was blocked on September 14, 2026. See our post on the duration of status rule.

This is general information, not legal advice. If you are close to a deadline, have had a status problem, or are unsure whether a job qualifies, speak with your DSO and, if needed, a licensed US immigration attorney.

What to do next

• Mark your program end date and work out your 90/60-day window.
• Ask your DSO for the OPT recommendation at the right time and file within 30 days.
• Track your unemployment days from your EAD start date.
• Watch the OPT fee proposal on our updates page and the US hub.