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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
Poulomi Ghosh

New OPT fee proposed: Colleges to pay $70,000 for first-time F-1 students, $30,000 for extensions; DHS says this was never meant to be a backdoor

The Department of Homeland Security announced a proposed rule that would impose a $70,000 fee for F-1 students seeking to participate in the OPT program and $30,000 for each subsequent OPT authorization including STEM OPT extensions. Schools will have to pay this fee, not the international students. The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on October 8, 2026, and DHS will accept public comments for 30 days.

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