Updated November 7, 2026

Proposed OPT fees ($70,000 and $30,000): what F-1 students should know

The $70,000 initial OPT fee and $30,000 subsequent OPT fee are not in effect today. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published them as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. ICEB-2026-0100, 91 FR 64566) on October 8, 2026, with public comments open through November 9, 2026, and any final rule would take effect 60 days after final publication.

Right now, F-1 students still apply for OPT by getting a Designated School (DSO) recommendation on Form I-20 and filing Form I-765 with USCIS under the current USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055).

What is the OPT fee today vs. the proposed rule?

Right now, there is no $70,000 or $30,000 fee in effect for Optional Practical Training (OPT). If you are applying for pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, or a 24-month STEM OPT extension today, you follow the standard U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) process.

Under current USCIS rules, an F-1 student applies for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD, Form I-766) by requesting an OPT recommendation from their school's Designated School (DSO) and properly filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with the required USCIS filing fee. If you want faster processing, USCIS also lets F-1 students seeking OPT or a STEM OPT extension file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, online or by mail.

USCIS updated Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, on October 28, 2026 (edition date 10/26/26). It also implemented inflation-adjusted fees for certain immigration-related benefits on October 16, 2026. Check the Form I-765 and Form I-907 dropdowns on the USCIS G-1055 Fee Schedule page on the day you file so your package is not rejected for an incorrect fee.

How you pay USCIS today depends on how you file. For online applications, USCIS accepts payments through Pay.gov. When filing by mail at a USCIS Lockbox, you can pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, or directly from a U.S. bank account using Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions (unless you qualify for a paper fee exemption using Form G-1651). Cash is never accepted.

Current OPT filing requirements vs. the DHS proposed rule

What is the status of the proposed OPT fee rule (Docket ICEB-2026-0100)?

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and DHS published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled Optional Practical Training Fees in the Federal Register under DHS Docket No. ICEB-2026-0100 (RIN 1653-AB01). A proposed rule does not change the law on the day it is published. DHS must first collect and review public comments before it can publish a final rule. As of November 7, 2026, at 8:15 a.m. EST, the Federal Register docket showed 6,848 public comments received and 41,358 page views.

Here are the exact dates and deadlines set in the Federal Register notice, plus how to re-verify the rule's status on the day you read this:

• October 8, 2026: DHS published the proposed rule in the Federal Register.
• November 9, 2026 (by 11:59 p.m. ET): Deadline for public comments on the proposed rule as a whole, submitted online at Regulations.gov under Docket No. ICEB-2026-0100.
• December 7, 2026: Deadline for the 60-day comment period on the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) information collection changes to SEVIS (OMB Control No. 1653-0038).
• Proposed effective date: DHS proposes that the final rule take effect 60 days after the date the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
• How to verify status today: Go to Regulations.gov, search for docket number ICEB-2026-0100, and check whether DHS has published a Final Rule or if the docket remains in the Proposed Rule stage.

How the $70,000 and $30,000 OPT fees would work

Under proposed 8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(ii) and 214.13(i), the new fees are triggered by a school's decision to recommend an F-1 student for OPT in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), not by a change in employer.

First-time OPT recommendation ($70,000). An SEVP-certified educational institution would have to pay a one-time initial fee of $70,000 for each F-1 student the first time a DSO recommends that student to participate in any type of OPT under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii), whether that first OPT is pre-completion OPT or post-completion OPT.

Subsequent OPT recommendation ($30,000). Once a student has previously participated in OPT and the initial $70,000 fee has been paid for them, the SEVP-certified school must pay $30,000 before a DSO makes any subsequent OPT recommendation for that student, whether it is another period of pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT after pre-completion OPT, or a 24-month STEM OPT extension.

Why splitting pre-completion and post-completion OPT costs $30,000 more. Under existing USCIS rules, eligible F-1 students can receive up to 12 months of OPT before and/or after completing their studies, and all periods of pre-completion OPT are deducted from available post-completion OPT at the same education level. One year of part-time (20 hours or less per week while school is in session) pre-completion OPT reduces full-time post-completion OPT by 6 months (50 percent), and 1 year of full-time pre-completion OPT reduces it by the full 12 months (100 percent). Under the proposed rule, if a student gets a DSO recommendation for pre-completion OPT and later gets a second recommendation for post-completion OPT, the school must pay $70,000 for pre-completion OPT and $30,000 for post-completion OPT, even with the same employer. By our calculation from the DHS fee schedule in the proposed rule, splitting your 12-month OPT allowance costs $100,000 in total SEVP fees ($70,000 plus $30,000), which is $30,000 (or 42.9 percent) more for the same 12 months of work authorization than waiting to use all 12 months as post-completion OPT for a single $70,000 fee.

Transition period for STEM OPT and higher degree levels. Under proposed 8 CFR 214.13(i)(2), the $30,000 subsequent fee only applies if the student previously participated in OPT and paid the initial $70,000 fee. During the Year 1 transition period, DHS states that if an OPT fee has not previously been paid for an F-1 student, their first recommendation after the effective date is subject to the $70,000 initial fee, even if it is for a STEM OPT extension. Also, while current rules allow 12 months of OPT at each education level (such as bachelor's and master's), DHS notes it is considering an alternative where the $70,000 initial fee would apply again whenever an F-1 student changes to a higher educational level.

Worked example: How OPT choices change the total proposed fee

Who would the proposed rule apply to, and who actually pays?

Legally, the proposed rule places the payment requirement on SEVP-certified educational institutions. The school must pay the applicable $70,000 or $30,000 fee before the DSO enters the OPT recommendation into the student's SEVIS record. Once paid, the DSO updates SEVIS with the payment confirmation and gives the student a signed, dated Form I-20 showing both the OPT recommendation and confirmation that the school paid the fee. If a DSO recommends OPT before the school pays, or if the school fails to pay, USCIS may not grant employment authorization.

Can your university charge you or your employer for the $70,000 fee? Yes. In Section IV.C of the proposed rule, DHS explicitly states that the rule does not restrict how schools collect or source the funds to make the fee payments, provided they comply with applicable laws such as reporting foreign gifts and contracts under 20 U.S.C. 1011f. DHS expressly acknowledges that schools may pass the financial obligation of the proposed fee onto F-1 nonimmigrant students, all students, or employers.

Change of status, refunds, and CPT. The proposed fees apply equally to all eligible F-1 students who will engage in OPT, whether they entered in F-1 status or obtained F-1 through a change of status (COS) inside the United States, and regardless of whether they obtained an extension of stay (EOS) through USCIS (Form I-539) or through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) by traveling abroad. Under proposed 8 CFR 214.13(i)(1) and (2), a school may request a discretionary, case-by-case refund from SEVP only if the student has not been issued the EAD card and the DSO first removes the OPT recommendation in SEVIS. SEVP's refund decision is final and not appealable, and once the EAD is issued, the fee will not be refunded under any circumstances. DHS also states in Section III.D that the proposed rule is specific to OPT and does not address Curricular Practical Training (CPT), though existing rules under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i) still make students who participate in 12 months or more of full-time CPT ineligible for post-completion OPT (while part-time CPT does not stop you from doing OPT).

Under proposed 8 CFR 214.13(i)(3) and Section VI of the preamble, SEVP-certified schools will not be required to pay the fee for an F-1 student's OPT if the student fits any of these three categories before the final rule's effective date (60 days after the final rule is published):

• You are currently engaging in previously approved OPT before the effective date.
• You have been approved for OPT by USCIS prior to the effective date.
• You have received a DSO recommendation for OPT in SEVIS that is dated prior to the effective date.

How the proposed rule affects F-1 visa interview answers and what officers ask

Even before a final rule is issued, the text of DHS's proposed rule gives F-1 visa applicants a direct look at how the U.S. government views OPT and student intent. In Section VI (Reliance Interests) of the proposed rule, DHS points to Section 101(a)(15)(F)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i)) and states that the F-1 visa classification is for nonimmigrants who have a residence in a foreign country that they have no intention of abandoning, and who intend to come to the United States solely for the purpose of pursuing a course of study, not for an ancillary purpose such as seeking employment.

DHS also states directly that an F-1 student's expectation to engage in OPT or STEM OPT or gain post-completion employment in the United States is speculative, and any assumption that such employment will be automatically granted undermines the original intent of the F-1 nonimmigrant visa to solely pursue a full course of study. DHS notes from its 2024 SEVIS data that out of 1.4 million F-1 nonimmigrants in the U.S. higher education system, only about 20 percent participated in OPT in 2024.

At your F-1 visa interview, your answers about post-graduation plans or funding cannot rely on getting OPT, STEM OPT, or a U.S. job. You can review the full list of questions in our guide to F-1 visa interview questions, see how officers check your first-year money in our F-1 visa proof of funds guide, and check how the Visa Integrity Fee works for 2026 visa budgeting. Here are the specific questions where OPT and post-study plans come up, what the officer checks, and how to prepare:

1. "What are your plans after you finish your degree in the United States?" What the officer is checking: That you have a residence abroad you do not intend to abandon, and that your primary purpose is completing your course of study rather than using an F-1 visa as an employment pathway. How to prepare: Be ready to name the specific role, industry, and city in your home country where you plan to apply your degree after graduation, and how the courses in your U.S. program prepare you for that market.

2. "Do you plan to do OPT or STEM OPT after graduation?" What the officer is checking: Whether you treat U.S. employment as automatic or as the main reason for your trip, which DHS states undermines the original intent of the F-1 visa. How to prepare: Know that OPT requires both a school DSO recommendation and USCIS approval, is temporary training directly related to your major, and is never guaranteed. Your career plan must stand on its own back home without OPT.

3. "You took an education loan to pay for your master's degree. Will you use OPT to pay it back?" What the officer is checking: That your funding is sustainable without relying on speculative U.S. employment. How to prepare: Have your loan sanction letter, your co-borrower or sponsor's income figures, and a realistic repayment schedule based on salaries in your home country or family resources.

4. "If you later transition from OPT to an H-1B, what happens if your job ends?" What the officer is checking: For students in the U.S. who transition to work visas and go for stamping, officers check that you understand the rules of your status. Read the current rules in our H-1B 60-day grace period guide.

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Checklist: What current F-1 students and graduating seniors should do right now

Because the proposed rule would only apply to DSO recommendations dated on or after the effective date (60 days after a final rule is published), your timing and your DSO recommendation date are the two things you control. Use this checklist written by our team based on the USCIS Form I-765 filing windows and the proposed transition rules:

• 1. Check your earliest Form I-765 filing window today. Under current USCIS rules for initial post-completion OPT (category (c)(3)(B)), you may file Form I-765 up to 90 days before your program end date, and no later than 60 days after your program end date. For a 24-month STEM OPT extension (category (c)(3)(C)), you may file up to 90 days before your current OPT expires.
• 2. Request your DSO recommendation in SEVIS as early as your window allows. Under proposed 8 CFR 214.13(i)(3), any student who receives a DSO recommendation for OPT dated prior to the final rule's effective date is exempt from the $70,000 fee for that OPT period.
• 3. Watch the 30-day and 60-day DSO signature clocks. For initial post-completion OPT, USCIS requires you to file Form I-765 within 30 days of the date your DSO enters the OPT recommendation into your SEVIS record. For a 24-month STEM OPT extension (with a completed Form I-983 signed by you and your E-Verify employer), you must file Form I-765 within 60 days of the DSO recommendation date.
• 4. Think twice before splitting OPT into pre-completion and post-completion periods. If the rule takes effect before you apply, doing pre-completion OPT and then post-completion OPT requires two separate DSO recommendations ($70,000 plus $30,000 = $100,000), whereas saving all 12 months for post-completion OPT requires only one recommendation ($70,000).
• 5. Check the current USCIS Form I-765 edition and filing address before mailing. Per USCIS alerts on the Form I-765 page, USCIS changed the direct filing addresses for mailed Forms I-765 and I-907 on October 7, 2026 (with a 30-day grace period for forms postmarked on or before November 9, 2026). In addition, following a September 14, 2026 court order in the District of Massachusetts (Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration v. DHS), USCIS continues to accept the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and is not accepting the 09/15/26 edition.
• 6. Submit a comment or track the docket on Regulations.gov. Public comments on the rule close November 9, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET, and comments on the SEVIS information collection close December 7, 2026. Search Docket No. ICEB-2026-0100 on Regulations.gov to sign up for email alerts when a final rule is published.

Why DHS proposed the $70,000 and $30,000 OPT fees (and the numbers behind the rule)

In the Federal Register notice, DHS gives two main reasons for proposing the $70,000 and $30,000 fees: combating fraud and abuse in the OPT program, and protecting U.S. workers. DHS also states in Sections IV.A, IV.B, and IV.C that without the fees proposed in the rule, it cannot operate OPT consistent with its focus on preventing fraud and protecting American workers and may shut down the program entirely.

According to DHS data in Section VII.A.3 of the proposed rule, in calendar year 2024, 194,554 F-1 students were granted EADs for pre-completion or post-completion OPT and reported working for an employer (up from 160,627 in 2023). For STEM OPT, DHS records 95,384 authorizations with employment start dates in 2024, and Section IV.B notes 165,524 total F-1 students participating in STEM OPT in 2024. Across calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024, DHS identified 2,478 SEVP-certified schools that had F-1 students participating in OPT (out of 6,186 total SEVP-certified institutions as of June 2026), supported by 10,800 DSOs.

Visaful is an AI mock interview app for US visa interviews: an AI officer asks your visa's questions out loud and shows what to fix.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or any government agency.