Story perspectives

Homeland Security Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for Colleges

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 4:40 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee per international student for Optional Practical Training, plus $30,000 for renewals.
Colleges, not students, would have to pay the fees according to the agency’s notice.
Critics warn the cost would effectively end OPT for most students and hurt enrollment.
Legal groups including NAFSA predict the rule will be challenged and likely struck down in court.

History

Historical Context

After the 2001 Patriot Act spurred SEVIS’s launch and a 2003 mandatory-use rule, the State and Homeland Security departments raised the SEVIS I-901 fee to $350 in 2010, prompting protests from the University of California system and NAFSA. Today DHS proposes charging colleges $70,000 per student for Optional Practical Training, shifting the cost burden from individuals to institutions.

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Story summary

U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee per international student for Optional Practical Training, plus $30,000 for renewals.
Colleges, not students, would have to pay the fees according to the agency’s notice.
Critics warn the cost would effectively end OPT for most students and hurt enrollment.
Legal groups including NAFSA predict the rule will be challenged and likely struck down in court.

1 / 2