# Trump Administration Proposes $70,000 Fee for International Student Work Program

> The Department of Homeland Security introduced a new rule that would charge universities tens of thousands of dollars for each international student participating in post-graduate training, a steep increase from current student-paid fees.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-23T21:49:40.385952Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/trump-administration-proposes-70-000-fee-for-international-student-work-program-18bfc542

The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed rule on October 7, 2026, that would require universities to pay an initial $70,000 fee for each international student seeking an Optional Practical Training (OPT) recommendation, with an additional $30,000 for subsequent OPT periods [1][2][3]. This represents a substantial increase from the current student-paid fees of approximately $470 to $520 for OPT applications [1][5][9].

This proposed change could severely limit international student access to post-graduate work experience in the U.S., potentially affecting American innovation, university revenue, and the nation's global leadership [1][4][6][16].

## What the records show

The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026, stipulates that SEVP-certified educational institutions would pay the new fees [3][7][10]. Specifically, a $70,000 fee would apply for a student's initial OPT period, and an additional $30,000 would be charged for any subsequent OPT period, including STEM OPT extensions, leading to an aggregate of $100,000 for STEM OPT participation [1][3][4]. DHS acknowledged that institutions might pass these costs on to international students, all students, or employers [1][3][5]. The collected fees would be deposited into the U.S. Treasury [4][5][8].

## Timeline of the Rule

The Department of Homeland Security announced the proposed rule on October 7, 2026 [1][2][8]. It was subsequently published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026 [3][5][10]. The public comment period for the proposal is open from October 8 to November 9, 2026 [3][4][11].

## DHS Justifies Changes

DHS stated that these fees are intended to combat fraud and abuse within the OPT program, enhance the integrity of the immigration system, and protect U.S. workers [3][7][8]. A DHS spokesperson asserted that OPT "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," and that "American workers should not have to compete against a program that has been turned into a pipeline for cheap foreign labor” [5][8]. The department also claimed that without these fees, it cannot effectively operate OPT to prevent fraud and might be compelled to shut down the program entirely [1].

## Industry Concerns Grow

The proposal has drawn significant criticism from higher education and industry groups. Fanta Aw, Executive Director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, stated that “Driving away the talents, perspectives, and aspirations of international students will only hurt American innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global leadership” [1][6]. Critics argue that such high fees would severely restrict or eliminate international student participation in post-graduate training, potentially undermining universities' ability to recruit international talent [9]. Economist Michael Clemens estimates that a $100,000 OPT fee could cost American universities up to $4 billion annually in lost revenue [4]. The American Immigration Council noted that DHS admitted the fees would go to general U.S. Treasury funds rather than fraud detection, questioning the stated justification [4][14]. A survey indicated that 80% of international students would reconsider studying in the U.S. if such fees were implemented [4].

## What we could not confirm

It remains unconfirmed how many universities would be able to absorb or pass on these costs without significantly reducing international student enrollment. The exact timeline for potential legal challenges to the rule, should it be finalized, was not specified.

## Evidence cited
1. (October 07 2026) Colleges could face up to $100K in fees for foreign students to work in U.S. - Higher Ed Dive (highereddive.com) — https://highereddive.com/
2. Trump administration proposes $70,000 OPT fee that could force international students to pay for work visas - Business Insider (businessinsider.com) — https://www.businessinsider.com/
3. USCIS proposes $70,000 OPT fee. What does it mean for your studies? - My International Student Portal (myusp.com) — https://www.myusp.com/
4. Trump Administration Proposes New, Exorbitant Fees for International Student Work Program - American Immigration Council (americanimmigrationcouncil.org) — https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/
5. Trump Proposes $70,000 Fee for Foreign Student Work Program (time.com) — https://time.com/6240217/trump-international-students-opt-fee/
6. Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US (apnews.com) — https://apnews.com/article/politics-international-students-dhs-trump-administration-optional-practical-training-fees-00000000000000000000000000000000
7. Trump administration proposes $70,000 fee for international students' work program | WION - YouTube (youtube.com) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx
8. DHS Proposes New Fees for Optional Practical Training to Combat Fraud and Abuse (dhs.gov) — https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/10/07/dhs-proposes-new-fees-optional-practical-training-combat-fraud-and-abuse
9. APS Calls for Withdrawal of Proposed $100K Fee for International STEM Students | APS (aps.org) — https://www.aps.org/policy/issues/visas/opt-fees.cfm
10. USDHS Proposes New OPT Fees – International Students & Scholars Office (bu.edu) — https://www.bu.edu/isso/2026/10/08/usdhs-proposes-new-opt-fees/
11. DHS Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for New OPT Fees (dhs.gov) — https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/10/08/dhs-publishes-notice-proposed-rulemaking-new-opt-fees
12. DHS Proposes New Fees for Optional Practical Training | Global Michigan (umich.edu) — https://global.umich.edu/news/dhs-proposes-new-fees-for-optional-practical-training/
13. Trump Administration Proposes $70K Fee for International Student Work (acenet.edu) — https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/Trump-Administration-Proposes-70K-Fee-for-International-Student-Work.aspx
14. New $100,000 Fee Would Deter International Students (forbes.com) — https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2026/10/08/new-100000-fee-would-deter-international-students/
15. Trump Proposes $70K Fee for Foreign Student Work Program (insidehighered.com) — https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/immigration/2026/10/08/trump-proposes-70k-fee-foreign-student-work-program
16. Proposed OPT Fee Could Harm U.S. Economy (insidehighered.com) — https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/immigration/2026/10/23/proposed-opt-fee-could-harm-us-economy
17. Federal Government Updates for International Students and Scholars (October 8, 2026) | Services for International Students and Scholars (ucdavis.edu) — https://siss.ucdavis.edu/news/federal-government-updates-international-students-and-scholars-october-8-2026
18. DHS Proposes New OPT Fees: What It Means For F-1 Students, Schools, Employers (mondaq.com) — https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/work-visas/xxxxxx/dhs-proposes-new-opt-fees-what-it-means-for-f-1-students-schools-employers
19. The Economic and Societal Benefits of International STEM Students and Scholars in the United States - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies Press) — https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/25895/chapter/1
20. Impact of International Students on the U.S. Economy and Workforce (National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)) — https://www.nacua.org/nacuanews/nacuanews-archives/2023/may/impact-of-international-students-on-the-u.s.-economy-and-workforce
21. High-Skilled Immigrants Don't Take U.S. Jobs And Boost Wages (Forbes) — https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2023/07/20/high-skilled-immigrants-dont-take-us-jobs-and-boost-wages/
22. OPT Drives Down Wages, Hires Foreigners Instead of Americans - Center for Immigration Studies (Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)) — https://cis.org/Report/OPT-Drives-Down-Wages-Hires-Foreigners-Instead-Americans
23. The Optional Practical Training program is a boondoggle that hurts U.S. graduates - Economic Policy Institute (Economic Policy Institute (EPI)) — https://www.epi.org/publication/the-optional-practical-training-program-is-a-boondoggle-that-hurts-us-graduates/
24. The Economic Impact of International Students on the United States - Brookings Institution (Brookings Institution) — https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-economic-impact-of-international-students-on-the-united-states/