$70,000 OPT Fee Update: Proposal Comment Period Ends

US OPT Fee Proposal Draws College Debate

The $70,000 OPT fee proposed by the DHS last month has completed a major milestone. Yesterday, 9th November 2026 was the last date to comment on the proposed fee.

This new rule proposes a $70,000 fee for initial OPT applications. It also wants to charge $30,000 for any subsequent filings, including STEM OPT.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published this proposal on October 8, 2026.

The rule would require SEVP-certified schools to pay $70,000 before any student applies for an OPT. With many schools already pausing CPT programs due to government investigation, this proposed rule can serious harm the OPT program as well.

The comments on the rule itself ended yesterday. However, the comments on information collection are still active, to end on December 7th.

There has already been serious pushback against this proposition. Many schools have put in petitions against the $70,000 fee.

Most notably, the American Council on Education, along with 36 other higher education groups, has banded together against it. Yesterday, they urged the DHS to withdraw this proposition entirely.

The petition warns that this fee will invite severe fraud to the OPT program, as students try to find ways to avoid it. There is also strong possibility that the fee could kill the OPT program entirely.

The OPT program provides students on F-1 visa a vital pathway to earning in the US. It gives international students a pathway towards work visas legitimately.

However, this fee could potentially end that pathway. With the comment period closed, it remains to be seen whether this rule will be passed.