The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a $70,000 fee for schools for each international student seeking to participate in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, adding to a series of measures by the Trump administration affecting foreign students in the United States.
Under the proposed rule announced Wednesday, schools would pay $70,000 for an international student’s initial participation in OPT and another $30,000 for each renewal. The programme allows international students to gain practical work experience in jobs related to their academic fields while studying or after completing their programmes.
The proposal is not yet in effect. The public will have 60 days to submit comments before DHS decides whether to finalise and implement the rule. Higher education groups and business organisations could also challenge the measure in court, potentially delaying its implementation.
OPT generally allows eligible international students to work for one year after graduation. Students whose degrees are in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can qualify for an additional two years of employment under the STEM OPT extension.
The proposed fees would therefore affect a programme that has become an important route for international students to obtain practical experience in their areas of study while also providing employers with access to graduates trained at U.S. institutions.
DHS has presented the proposed fee as part of efforts to address what it considers abuses of the student visa system. In its statement, the department described visa fraud and abuse as having created a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”
A DHS Spokesperson said that Optional Practical Training “was never meant to be a back door into the American workforce, a subsidy for cheap labor, or a prize for those who game the system.” “DHS is upskilling OPT to require foreign students to justify their worth to employers,” the Spokesperson said.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration continues to tighten policies affecting international students and foreign workers. NAFSA, an association representing international education, said the new fees could affect both American higher education institutions and industries that depend on international graduates.
NAFSA Warns OPT Fee Could Hurt US Innovation And Workforce Development
Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, said that the proposed fees could have consequences for American colleges and universities that rely heavily on tuition from students from overseas. She also pointed to industries that recruit international students to address labour shortages, particularly in high-demand STEM fields. “Driving away the talents, perspectives, and aspirations of international students will only hurt American innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global leadership,” Aw said in a statement.
Her comments reflect concerns within the international education sector that additional financial barriers could make American universities less attractive to prospective students from abroad. NAFSA has previously tracked a series of changes affecting international students, including proposed changes to practical training and rules governing their stay in the country.
The proposed OPT fee follows other immigration and higher education measures introduced by the Trump administration. Last year, the administration began terminating the legal status of thousands of international students, with some subsequently detained or deported, as part of broader immigration enforcement efforts.
The administration has also pursued changes to the rules governing how long international students can remain in the United States. A final DHS rule sought to replace the existing duration-of-status framework with fixed periods of admission for international students and exchange visitors, while introducing additional requirements for extensions and changes to academic programmes.
A federal court in September blocked implementation of that rule while litigation continues. NAFSA said that the court’s preliminary injunction means the existing duration-of-status framework remains in effect for now.
The latest proposal also comes amid broader scrutiny of practical training programmes. In August, U.S. immigration authorities issued guidance affecting Curricular Practical Training, another programme that allows international students to undertake work-based training connected to their academic studies. NAFSA and other higher education organisations filed a lawsuit in October challenging the changes.
For universities, the proposed OPT fee could therefore add another financial consideration to the recruitment and retention of international students. American institutions have long enrolled students from around the world, with many graduates later entering industries where their academic training is relevant.
The proposed rule, however, remains subject to the federal rule-making process. DHS will have to review public comments before determining whether to issue a final regulation, while potential legal challenges could further affect its implementation.
Until then, the $70,000 charge remains a proposal rather than an existing requirement. Its potential impact on international students, universities and employers will depend on the final rule and any legal challenges that follow.
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