US Proposes USD 70000 Fee Per F1 Student for First OPT Recommendation

The US Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 OPT fee per student. Indian F-1 students who plan to work after graduation are directly affected. The proposed rule appeared in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026. Universities would pay this fee to DHS before recommending any student for OPT.

• 1,43,740 Indian students were on OPT in 2024/25, per Open Doors.
• Every later OPT recommendation, including STEM OPT extensions, would cost $30,000.
• DHS says schools may pass the cost to students or employers.

OPT, or Optional Practical Training, lets F-1 students work after study. DHS says the fee targets fraud and protects US workers.

Also Read: Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students

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DHS Proposes $70,000 First and $30,000 Repeat OPT Fees

DHS filed the Optional Practical Training Fees proposal on October 7, 2026. The first fee covers either pre-completion or post-completion OPT. The repeat fee covers any later OPT, including a STEM OPT extension.

The fee is tied to the school's OPT recommendation in SEVIS. SEVIS is the US database that tracks student visa holders. A school official cannot enter that recommendation until the fee is paid.

Changing employers during OPT would not trigger a new fee. Schools can seek a refund if no OPT work permit is issued. Once the permit is issued, DHS says the fee is never refunded.

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What the OPT Fee Could Cost in Indian Rupees

Students today pay only the USCIS form fee: $470 online or $520 on paper. Schools pay DHS nothing for an OPT recommendation. The table converts the proposed fees at ₹96.76 per USD (October 2026).

DHS compares the fee to one or two years of US study.

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Why DHS Wants Schools to Pay for OPT

DHS says OPT has drifted away from students' actual studies. It cites fraud cases, shell companies and H-1B cap workarounds. Homeland Security Investigations flagged more than 10,000 F-1 students at suspect employers.

DHS also points to the FICA exemption for F-1 workers. FICA is the US payroll tax for Social Security and Medicare. DHS argues the exemption gives employers a cost reason to hire students.

Without the fee, DHS warns it "may shut down the program entirely".

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Who the Proposed OPT Fee Would and Would Not Cover

• Only OPT recommendations dated on or after the effective date
• No charge for students recommended before that date
• No exemption for small schools, which DHS considered and rejected

The final rule would take effect 60 days after its publication. DHS also seeks comment on recharging the first fee per degree. That would hit students moving from a US bachelor's to a master's.

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Fall 2027 Applicants Face an OPT Cost Question

OPT gives graduates time to find an H-1B employer. The fee plan follows a separate US H-1B Proposal on employer costs. Both target the same student-to-job pipeline.

The OPT fee is a proposal, not law, as of October 2026. No extra OPT fee applies to any student today. The public comment window is the only open lever for students now.

Action Plan for Indian F-1 Students

1. Read the proposal under docket ICEB-2026-0100 on regulations.gov.
2. Submit comments only through regulations.gov, since emailed comments do not count.
3. Ask target universities whether they would pass the fee to students.
4. Add a fee scenario to your Fall 2027 US study budget.
5. Track your OPT recommendation date against any final effective date.