DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee for F-1 Students' OPT, Paid by Schools

What happened

On October 8, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule on Optional Practical Training fees in the Federal Register. It would create two new fees for F-1 students who work on OPT:

• $70,000 the first time a student is recommended for any type of OPT, whether pre-completion or post-completion.
• $30,000 for each later OPT recommendation, including the 24-month STEM OPT extension.

DHS says the fees are meant to combat fraud, protect US workers and strengthen the immigration system. This is a proposal only. It is not in effect.

Who is affected

Under the proposal, the fee is charged to the SEVP-certified school, not to the employer. The school would have to pay before its Designated School Official (DSO) enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS. The DSO would then issue a new Form I-20 showing the payment, and the student would file Form I-765 with USCIS. USCIS would not grant an OPT work permit if the fee has not been paid.

The rule gives an example: a student who does pre-completion OPT and then post-completion OPT would cost the school $70,000 plus $30,000. A school could ask for a refund only if the student never received the OPT work permit; once the permit is issued, the fee is not refundable.

What it means for your move

OPT is the most common bridge from a US degree to an H-1B and then an employer-sponsored green card. See our OPT guide for how it works today. If this rule is finalized as written, schools would have to decide whether to absorb, pass on, or limit OPT recommendations. The rule does not say how schools would recover the cost. That decision would be up to each school.

For anyone choosing a US school for a later move to permanent residence, this adds real uncertainty about post-study work. A STEM OPT extension would also trigger the $30,000 fee.

What to do now

• Nothing changes yet. Current OPT and STEM OPT rules and USCIS fees still apply.
• If you are eligible for OPT now, do not delay a complete, timely filing waiting for news.
• Prospective students should ask schools how they plan to respond if the rule is finalized.
• Anyone can comment at regulations.gov under docket ICEB-2026-0100 until November 9, 2026.
• For your own case, talk to your DSO or a licensed immigration attorney.

What happens next

Comments close on November 9, 2026, and comments on the related paperwork collection close on December 7, 2026. DHS must review comments before it can publish a final rule, which would set an effective date. We will update this report if the rule is finalized. Track it on our US country page and the updates tracker.