DHS Proposed High OPT Fees for International Students

Businesses that rely on international student talent face potential cost hurdles if the proposed fee structure is finalized.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Internships

DHS Proposed High OPT Fees for International Students

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Should the U.S. government impose high fees on international students working through university programs?

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a new fee structure requiring schools to pay $70,000 for initial OPT program applications and $30,000 for renewals. The proposal targets the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows international students to work in jobs related to their major after graduation.

Why it matters

The DHS justifies these fees as a measure to combat fraud and visa program abuse, but the costs could significantly impact the pipeline of international talent for U.S. businesses. Operators may face uncertainty as the proposal could trigger legal challenges from higher education and industry groups.

The proposal introduces $70,000 initial fees and $30,000 renewals per student, impacting a program that standardly provides one year of post-graduation work eligibility for students and an additional two years for STEM majors.

The players

Department of Homeland Security

The federal executive department responsible for immigration enforcement, visa policy oversight, and the administration of international student work programs.

The details

Under the proposed rule, schools would be responsible for paying these fees for every participating student. The policy shift arrives as the agency seeks to address visa program abuse. The Department of Homeland Security must complete a 60-day public comment period before the regulation can be finalized, though it faces potential delays from litigation.

Last year, the administration terminated the legal status of thousands of international students.
This summer, the administration finalized a four-year stay limit rule for students.
A federal court blocked the four-year stay rule in September.
The Department of Homeland Security proposed the new fees in October 2026.
The public comment period for the proposed fee rule spans the next 60 days.

Market Landscape

The proposed fees represent a financial escalation of the enforcement pattern set by the 2026 rule limiting student stays to four years. This move follows a series of regulatory actions aimed at tightening oversight of international student status and work eligibility in the United States.

Operators who rely on international student talent should evaluate how these potential costs could influence school partnerships and internship budgets. Watch for legal challenges during the 60-day comment period that could lead to delays or modifications in the final rule.

The takeaway

This proposal marks a pivot from administrative status restrictions to high-cost financial barriers for academic institutions. Business owners should monitor the 60-day public comment window to determine if their industry organizations plan to file formal responses to the rule.