The Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule on October 7, 2026, that would require colleges to pay a $70,000 fee every time they recommend an F-1 student for Optional Practical Training (OPT). A $30,000 fee would apply to each subsequent recommendation or extension. The proposal is not final — there is a 60-day public comment window before DHS can issue a final rule.
If you are an international student planning to work in the United States after graduation, this is the most important higher education news of the week.
On October 7, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would fundamentally change how Optional Practical Training works — and potentially end it as a practical pathway for most international graduates.
What the Proposal Actually Says
Under the current OPT system, an international student on an F-1 visa can apply for up to 12 months of work authorization in their field after graduation. STEM graduates can apply for a 24-month extension, for a total of up to three years.
The new proposal would require schools — not students, not employers — to pay DHS a fee before they can recommend a student for OPT:
- $70,000 for the first OPT recommendation per student
- $30,000 for each subsequent recommendation or extension
Critically, schools cannot submit the OPT recommendation until the fee is paid. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would deny the work authorization if it has not been.
DHS estimates the proposed fee structure would generate between $8.4 billion and $16.5 billion in annual revenue — a range that reflects the agency's own projection that many schools would simply stop recommending students for OPT rather than pay.1
The Fee Falls on Schools — but Students Bear the Risk
The way the proposal is written, the $70,000 fee is a school expense. Students do not write a check directly.
But that framing obscures the real impact. A university that must pay $70,000 per student to certify OPT has two choices: absorb the cost or stop certifying students. For most schools, especially regional universities with smaller endowments and limited international enrollment, the economics of OPT certification collapse overnight.
If your school stops certifying OPT, you cannot get it — regardless of your visa status, your employer, or your field of study.
STEM OPT students are hit hardest. A student on a 24-month STEM OPT extension triggers two fees from their school: $70,000 at initial recommendation, and another $30,000 for the STEM extension. That's $100,000 per student for a program most schools currently certify at no direct cost.
What Critics Are Saying
NAFSA: Association of International Educators — the primary professional organization for international student advisors — responded quickly. NAFSA's CEO said the fee structure adds deep uncertainty for international students and the institutions that enroll them.2
Business groups, university associations, and immigration attorneys are expected to file formal opposition during the comment window. Higher education lawyers note that legal challenges are likely if the rule is finalized, similar to the court injunction that blocked the F-1 four-year cap rule earlier this year. That legal fight over the F-1 visa cap remains active at the appellate level after DHS appealed the injunction in early October.
The stated rationale from DHS: combat OPT fraud, protect U.S. workers, and reduce overall participation in the program. The agency explicitly framed reducing OPT participation as a goal, not a side effect.
What Happens Next
The proposed rule opens a 60-day public comment period. During that window, anyone — students, universities, employers, professional associations — can submit formal comments to DHS through the federal rulemaking portal. After the comment period closes, DHS reviews all submissions before issuing a final rule.
A proposed rule is not law. It can be modified, withdrawn, or blocked in court. But the October 7 publication starts a clock, and the 60-day window is the formal opportunity to push back.
Submit a public comment even if you are an individual student. DHS must read and respond to substantive comments in the record. A comment explaining specifically how this rule would affect your enrollment decision, your post-graduation plans, or your employer's hiring carries more weight than a form letter. Visit regulations.gov and search for the DHS OPT fee NPRM to file.
Context: A Pattern of Pressure on International Students
This proposal arrives after several months of escalating policy pressure on F-1 students. This year alone:
- OPT processing was frozen for weeks earlier in 2026, leaving graduates in work authorization limbo
- CPT and SEVP restrictions tightened, complicating internship access
- Mpower Financing — the primary no-cosigner lender for international students — collapsed after the immigration crackdown made its loan book unfinanceable
- International student enrollment is already declining at many U.S. universities
Each of these changes is separate. Together they represent a systematic reduction in the practical value of an F-1 student visa.
What International Students Should Do Right Now
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Talk to your DSO (Designated School Official) now. If your school is watching this proposal, they may begin making contingency plans. Ask them directly whether your institution would continue certifying OPT if the fee becomes law.
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File a public comment. The 60-day window is the formal mechanism for opposition. Use it.
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Understand your timeline. If you plan to graduate in spring 2027, you would apply for OPT several months before your end date. If this rule were finalized before then, your OPT application process would change.
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Review your financial aid options for international students. The shifting policy environment means it is worth reviewing all funding options.
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Do not make enrollment decisions based on a proposed rule. This is a proposal. It may change, be withdrawn, or face legal challenges before it becomes final.
For students already navigating these questions, applying to U.S. colleges as an international student and scholarships for international students remain strong starting points for understanding your full picture.
Footnotes
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Department of Homeland Security. (2026, October 7). Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Optional Practical Training Fee Requirement. Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/07 ↩
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Newsweek. (2026, October 8). Trump Admin Proposes $70,000 Fee for Foreign Graduates to Work in US. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-proposes-70000-fee-for-foreign-graduates-to-work-in-us-12535404 ↩