OPT Fee Proposal 2026: DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee, Comments Until 9 November

The US Department of Homeland Security has formally proposed a $70,000 fee for an F-1 student’s first OPT recommendation and $30,000 for any later one, including a STEM OPT extension. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on 8 October 2026. It is not in force. Public comments are open until 9 November 2026, and any final rule would take effect 60 days after it is published.

Updated 14 October 2026. Earlier versions of this page said the proposal had not been published; it now has.

Key facts

• Proposed by: DHS, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which runs the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
• Initial OPT fee: $70,000 per F-1 student, for the first OPT recommendation of any type.
• Subsequent OPT fee: $30,000 per F-1 student, for any later OPT recommendation, including a STEM OPT extension.
• Who pays: the SEVP-certified school pays before the DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS. The proposal says schools may pass the cost on to students or employers.
• Comment deadline: 9 November 2026 (docket ICEB-2026-0100).
• When it could start: 60 days after a final rule is published. The fee would apply to recommendations dated on or after that effective date.
• Today: nothing has changed. Current OPT applications use the normal USCIS Form I-765 process and fee.

What the proposed rule says

Optional Practical Training (OPT) lets F-1 students work in the US in their field, usually after graduating. Today a student’s Designated School Official (DSO) recommends OPT in SEVIS, then the student applies to USCIS for an employment authorization document (EAD).

Under the proposal, the school would have to pay the new fee before the DSO can enter that recommendation. The proposal also says USCIS would not grant the work authorization until the fee has been paid.

Refunds are limited. A school may ask for a refund of the initial fee only if the student has not received an OPT EAD, and requests are decided case by case. The subsequent fee can be refunded if the student has not received an EAD or extension.

What it means for Nepali and Indian students

For many South Asian students, OPT is the main reason the US degree pays off: it is the bridge to US work experience and, for some, to an H-1B. A $70,000 charge is more than many families spend on the whole degree. Even though the fee is billed to the school, schools can pass it on, so students should assume it could land on them.

Three groups should think hardest about this now:

• Students deciding on a US offer for Spring or Fall 2027. Ask the university in writing how it would handle the fee if the rule is finalised.
• Current F-1 students graduating in 2027. Your OPT recommendation date matters. Talk to your DSO about timing under current rules.
• STEM students counting on the 24-month extension. The $30,000 subsequent fee would apply to the STEM OPT recommendation too.

Plan your total budget in rupees with our student visa money calculator, and keep your status clean with our 7 rules to maintain F-1 status.

What to do now

• Do not pay anyone claiming to collect a “new OPT fee”. No such fee exists yet.
• If you are eligible for OPT, speak to your DSO about your filing window under the current rules.
• If you want your view counted, comment on docket ICEB-2026-0100 at regulations.gov before 9 November 2026. Comments are public; do not include private details.
• Before accepting a US admission, ask the school how it plans to handle the fee if the rule becomes final.

What we don’t know yet

• Whether the final rule will keep these amounts, change them, or be withdrawn after public comments.
• When a final rule could be published, and whether it will be challenged in court.
• How individual universities will decide to pass on the cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is the $70,000 OPT fee in effect now?
No. It is a proposed rule published on 8 October 2026. Comments close on 9 November 2026, and a final rule would take effect 60 days after publication.

Does STEM OPT also have a fee?
Yes, under the proposal. Any OPT recommendation after the first one, including a STEM OPT extension, would carry a $30,000 fee.

Do students pay it directly?
The school pays, but the proposal says schools may pass the cost to students or employers.

Sources

• Optional Practical Training Fees, proposed rule – Federal Register, 8 October 2026 (91 FR 64566)
• Docket ICEB-2026-0100 – Regulations.gov (to comment)

Last checked: 14 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.