Is the $70,000 OPT fee in effect now?

No. DHS published it as a proposed rule on October 8, 2026. It would only take effect 60 days after DHS publishes a final rule, and only for DSO recommendations dated on or after that effective date.

Is the STEM OPT extension fee $30,000 or $70,000?

Under the proposed text, $30,000 applies only if the school already paid the $70,000 initial fee for that student. If the student's earlier OPT was recommended before the rule took effect (so no $70,000 was paid), the first recommendation after the effective date, including a STEM extension, would carry the $70,000 fee.

Who pays the proposed OPT fee?

The SEVP-certified school pays it before the DSO enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS. DHS notes schools may pass the cost on to students or employers.

Does changing employers trigger a new OPT fee?

No. The fee is triggered by a new DSO recommendation for a period of OPT, not by a change of employer.

OPT Fee Checker 2026

Would the proposed $70,000 or $30,000 OPT fee apply to you? Plan each OPT step and see what your school would owe.

Proposed rule, not in effect Published Oct 8, 2026 · Comments close Nov 9, 2026 ·

1. When would the rule take effect?

No final rule exists yet. Pick a guess for when DHS publishes it; the fee would start 60 days later.

Assumed final-rule publication date

Fee effective date: —

Quick picks:

2. Your OPT steps, in order

Add each OPT request you have had or plan. The date is when your DSO enters (or entered) the recommendation in SEVIS.

Common paths:

How the proposed OPT fee works

On October 8, 2026 the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule, Optional Practical Training Fees (docket ICEB-2026-0100). It would add two fees that the school pays before its Designated School Official (DSO) can enter an OPT recommendation in SEVIS:

Fee	Amount	When it applies
Initial OPT fee	$70,000	The first DSO recommendation for any type of OPT dated on or after the effective date, if the $70,000 has never been paid for that student.
Subsequent OPT fee	$30,000	Each later recommendation (pre-completion, post-completion or STEM extension) for a student whose $70,000 fee was already paid.
Before the effective date	$0	Recommendations dated before the effective date, OPT already approved, and OPT you are already doing.

The STEM extension catch

Many summaries say "the STEM extension costs $30,000." The proposed text is narrower: $30,000 applies only if the student already had the $70,000 paid. If your post-completion OPT was recommended before the rule takes effect, no $70,000 was ever paid, so your STEM extension recommendation after the effective date would be your first fee-bearing request, and the proposal's transition clause would charge $70,000. The checker above follows that reading.

What does not change

You still file Form I-765 with USCIS and pay its normal filing fee yourself. Check the current amount on the USCIS fee schedule.
The 12-month OPT period per degree level, the 24-month STEM extension with Form I-983, and the H-1B cap-gap rule stay the same.
Changing employers inside an approved OPT period does not trigger a fee.

Refunds

A school could ask SEVP for a refund only before the student's EAD is issued, after the DSO removes the recommendation in SEVIS. SEVP decides case by case, with no appeal. After the EAD is issued, no refund.

Could it change?

Yes. It is a proposal. DHS is also asking whether the $70,000 should be charged again at each higher degree level, for example once after a bachelor's and again after a master's. A final rule could also be challenged in court.

How to comment

Comments go through regulations.gov, docket ICEB-2026-0100, and must be received by November 9, 2026. Comments on the information collection run to December 7, 2026. Read the full text at the Federal Register.

FAQ

Do I owe $70,000 for OPT today?

No. Nothing changes until DHS publishes a final rule, and then the fee starts 60 days later. Recommendations dated before that day carry no fee.

Is there a single $100,000 OPT fee?

No. $100,000 is $70,000 + $30,000: what a school would pay for post-completion OPT followed by a STEM extension, both after the effective date.

Does the student or the employer pay?

The school pays. DHS says schools may pass the cost on to students, all students or employers, and a DSO is not required to recommend any student for OPT.

I did CPT. Does that count?

The proposal covers OPT recommendations only. CPT is a separate authorization and is not mentioned as triggering the fee.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is an independent planning tool based on the proposed rule text. Talk to your DSO or an immigration attorney before you make decisions.