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Trump administration proposes $70,000 OPT fee for international students: What changes and why Indians may be hit hard
A new DHS proposal introduces fees of $70,000 for initial OPT and $30,000 for subsequent OPT for F-1 international students.
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The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 international students, along with another $30,000 fee for subsequent OPT, in a major proposed overhaul of the post-study work program.
The proposal, issued by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would require Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified schools to pay the fees when recommending F-1 students for OPT.
DHS says the move is intended to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system and protect US workers. The full DHS proposed rule sets out the proposed fee structure and its potential impact on international students and US institutions.
How the new $70,000 OPT fee would work
Under the proposal, schools would have to pay $70,000 for an F-1 student's initial OPT participation. A further $30,000 fee would apply for subsequent OPT, including the STEM OPT extension.
That means a student who moves from regular OPT to STEM OPT could trigger a combined $100,000 in proposed fees for the school.
The payment would not formally be collected from the student. Instead, the educational institution recommending the student for OPT would bear the charge. DHS proposes making payment of the applicable fee a condition for the OPT recommendation to be entered into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.
The proposal covers both pre-completion and post-completion OPT. Under existing rules, F-1 students can generally receive up to 12 months of OPT, while eligible graduates with qualifying STEM degrees can receive an additional 24-month extension.
ICE's official OPT guidance confirms that the STEM OPT extension provides an additional 24 months for eligible students and requires qualifying employment and an E-Verify employer.
Why DHS wants the fee
DHS argues that the proposed fees would help address fraud and misuse of the OPT system while encouraging schools to take greater responsibility for students they recommend for employment authorization.
The agency says OPT has been vulnerable to arrangements in which students are placed in jobs that do not provide genuine practical training related to their studies. DHS argues that imposing a substantial financial obligation on institutions could discourage fraudulent or questionable participation.
The proposal also frames the change as part of a broader effort to protect US workers and ensure that foreign graduates participating in OPT are receiving legitimate training rather than using the program as a route into the US labor market without adequate safeguards.
OPT is already a major pathway for foreign graduates
The size of the proposed fees becomes clearer when compared with the number of students currently using OPT.
According to ICE's 2024 SEVIS by the Numbers report, 194,554 students participated in pre- or post-completion OPT in 2024, up from 160,627 in 2023. That represented a 21.1% increase in one year.
The proposed rule comes as OPT participation has become an increasingly important part of the US international education system. Open Doors 2025 data recorded 294,253 international students on OPT during the 2024/25 academic year, a 21% increase from the previous year.
DHS's proposal acknowledges that the new fees could have a substantial effect on participation because schools may reconsider whether they can absorb such large costs for individual students. The agency's analysis examines different participation scenarios and estimates that the proposed fees could generate billions of dollars in annual revenue.
Why the proposal matters for Indian students
The proposed fees could be particularly significant for Indians because they account for the largest share of foreign students using the STEM OPT extension. ICE's 2024 data shows that 48% of foreign students participating in STEM OPT were from India, compared with 20.4% from China. A total of 165,524 foreign students participated in STEM OPT in 2024, according to the agency's official data.
India is also the largest source of international students in the US. The Institute of International Education's Open Doors 2025 data shows that 363,019 Indian students studied in the US during the 2024/25 academic year, up 10% from the previous year.
For Indian graduates, the proposed $30,000 subsequent OPT fee could therefore be especially consequential because STEM OPT is widely used by graduates in technology, engineering and other STEM fields to obtain additional US work experience after completing their degrees.
Proposal is not yet a final rule
The $70,000 and $30,000 charges are proposed fees, not fees currently in effect. DHS is seeking public comments before deciding whether to issue a final rule.
If finalized, the rule would mark a major change in the economics of the OPT program, shifting a potentially six-figure financial burden onto educational institutions that recommend international students for post-study work authorization.
