On October 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through ICE, announced a proposed rule called "Optional Practical Training Fees". It was published in the Federal Register on October 8 and is open for public comments until November 9, 2026.
The proposal sets two new fees:
- $70,000 for a student's initial OPT. - $30,000 for any later OPT period, which includes the STEM OPT extension.
The fee would be paid by the university before its international student office recommends the student for OPT. The text says schools may pass that cost on to F-1 students, to all students or to employers. DHS justifies the rule as a way to fight fraud and protect U.S. workers.
The most important point: this is a proposal, not a rule in force. DHS has to review the comments and publish a final rule. According to the text, the fees would apply 60 days after that final rule is published, and only to OPT recommendations made from that date.
OPT lets an international student on an F-1 visa work in the U.S. in a job related to their field of study. According to USCIS, a student can get up to 12 months of OPT per education level. Students with an eligible STEM degree can add a 24-month extension if they work for an employer enrolled in E-Verify.
For many families, OPT is part of the reason to study in the U.S. at all. It is the first real job experience after graduating, and sometimes the bridge to a longer career there. More than 294,000 international students used OPT in the 2024-25 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.
If that fee becomes final and a university decides to pass it on to the student, the cost of the degree changes a lot. That is why this matters now, even for a student who will not graduate until 2030 or 2031.
Some things stay as they are, at least in this text:
- It does not affect admissions. You can still apply and be admitted to U.S. universities under the same rules. - It does not apply to CPT, the Curricular Practical Training that some programs use for internships during the degree. The rule says so explicitly. - It does not change the F-1 visa itself or academic scholarships.
It also does not decide who pays. The fee is charged to the school. Each university will choose whether to absorb it, pass it to students or pass it to employers, and we do not know yet what most of them will do.
If your son or daughter is planning to start college in the U.S. in the next two years, this is how we would handle it:
Treating the proposal as final. We already see messages saying that working in the U.S. after graduating is "over". It is not. Today the rules in force are the same as last month.
Ignoring it completely. The opposite mistake is also real. A family choosing a university for fall 2027 should know this is on the table and ask about it.
Making the decision only for OPT. A university is four years of education, sport, friendships and a degree with value in many countries. OPT is important, but it is one piece.
Reading second-hand summaries. Many posts online already mix this proposal with other changes. Go to the source: the Federal Register text and your university's international office.
This is not the only change for international students this year. If you have not read it, our post on the F-1 four-year limit explains another rule that is in the courts.
In USP we have more than 30 years of experience, more than 2,500 college placements and a 98% admission rate, and our families have obtained more than $200M in scholarships and college savings. We have seen many rule changes in that time. What works is the same every time: a plan that does not depend on one single policy staying the same.
With a student in our Scholar program, we start with the goal after graduation, not with the ranking. If the goal is to work in the U.S., we build a list of universities with strong career services and a clear position on international students, and we follow the OPT rule until it is decided. If the goal is the education and the degree, we focus on academic fit and on reducing the cost with scholarships.
We do not promise admissions or scholarships. What we can promise is that you will make the decision with the full picture. If you want to understand the basics first, start with how the U.S. college system works.
No. It is a proposed rule published on October 8, 2026, with public comments open until November 9, 2026. DHS must publish a final rule, and the fees would only start 60 days after that.
The proposal charges the fee to the university, which pays before recommending the student for OPT. The text allows schools to pass the cost to F-1 students, to all students or to employers.
The proposal sets $30,000 for any OPT period after the initial one, and that includes the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
No. The proposed rule says explicitly that its scope is OPT and that it does not address Curricular Practical Training.
It depends on the goal of each student. The proposal does not change admissions, the F-1 visa or scholarships. If working in the U.S. after graduating is essential to your plan, factor this in and ask each university how it will respond.
According to USCIS, up to 12 months per education level, plus a 24-month extension for eligible STEM degrees with an E-Verify employer.
Photo: Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
