The $70,000 OPT fee explained, what the US proposal says and what Indian students should do now

For a generation of Indian students, the American plan had a simple shape. Study in the US, then work there on Optional Practical Training, known as OPT, and let the job pay back the loan. A proposal from the US government now puts a very large number in the middle of that plan. Before anyone panics or celebrates, it helps to read what it actually says.

What is proposed

The Department of Homeland Security announced a rule that would set a $70,000 fee per F-1 student for initial OPT and a $30,000 fee for any subsequent OPT. DHS says the aim is to combat fraud and abuse and protect US workers.

The fee is paid by the school, not the student, at least on paper. SEVP-certified schools would have to pay before a designated school official recommends a student for OPT, and USCIS would not grant work authorisation until the fee is paid. The fee is not tied to a particular employer.

The proposed rule in the Federal Register adds the detail that matters for planning. The $30,000 charge applies to any OPT after the first, whether that is another pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT or a STEM OPT extension. Its own example is blunt. A student who does pre-completion OPT and then post-completion OPT would cost the school $70,000 plus $30,000. The rule also acknowledges that schools may pass the cost on to F-1 students, all students or employers.

Is it in force?

No. The University of Louisville's international office puts it plainly: the proposal is not in effect, no implementation date has been set, and existing OPT rules and application fees remain in effect. Public comments are due by 9 November 2026.

If the rule is finalised, DHS proposes that it take effect 60 days after the final rule is published, and that the fee apply to OPT recommendations dated on or after that date. DHS says it proposes to apply the rule prospectively, to students who apply for OPT after that effective date. Students who would start OPT after a final rule are the ones to watch.

For a sense of scale, Student Life at Washington University reports that OPT currently costs only application fees of $470 to $2,250, and that more than 400,000 people in the US were OPT authorised in 2024.

Why Indian students should care most

Jobs after graduation are the reason many Indians go abroad. The latest IDP Emerging Futures survey, reported by ET NRI, found post-study employment was the biggest factor in Indian students' confidence in a destination, cited by 22%. Globally, cost of living led. The same survey found 74% of Indian prospective students were weighing more than one country.

Competitors have noticed. The PIE News reports from the same research that the share of students considering the UK and US rose by eight percentage points between March and August, while Australia's first-choice share fell to 24%. Those responses came before this proposal was published on 8 October, so the US number may not hold.

Our view

A $70,000 fee does not have to be passed to students to change their odds. A university that must write that cheque for every OPT recommendation will think harder about whom it recommends, which is exactly what DHS says it wants. The likely casualties are students without a firm job offer, and students at smaller schools that cannot absorb the bill.

The rule may change after comments, or be challenged. Planning as if it will pass is still sensible, because the downside of being wrong is cheap.

What to do now

If you have a US admit, ask the international office in writing how it would handle the fee and whether it would pass it on. Build a plan that works with or without OPT, including a second country. And make the profile stronger than the visa. Employers who might sponsor someone want evidence of real work with real people. Earth5R's FIELDWORK fellowship is hands-on fieldwork with real conversations, user research and field research, the kind of experience that reads well in any country's hiring process.