International students who graduate from American universities could face a new $100,000 charge before they are allowed to work in the United States.
The Trump administration is discussing the fee as part of possible changes to Optional Practical Training, better known as OPT. The program gives eligible foreign students temporary permission to work in jobs connected to their degree.
The proposal has not been approved, and students are not currently required to pay the charge. Major details remain unresolved, including who would pay it, which graduates would be covered and when the policy could begin.
Even so, a fee of that size could quickly change how international students choose universities, finance their education and plan their careers after graduation.
What Is Being Discussed?
The proposal would attach a $100,000 charge to post-graduation work authorization for international students, according to Wall Street Journal.
No official rule has been published. The Department of Homeland Security has not explained how the fee would be collected or which party would be responsible for paying it.
| Proposed charge | $100,000 |
| Program involved | Optional Practical Training |
| Students affected | Potentially F-1 graduates seeking U.S. employment |
| Who would pay | Not yet confirmed |
| Start date | No date announced |
| Current status | Under discussion |
The government could place the cost on graduates, employers or universities. A final policy could also include exemptions, lower charges for selected groups or different rules for certain industries.
Until an official proposal appears, any claim that all foreign graduates will definitely owe $100,000 is premature.
How Opt Allows Graduates to Work in The United States?
OPT is temporary employment authorization for students in F-1 immigration status. The job must be directly related to the student’s main field of study.
Most eligible graduates can receive up to 12 months of post-completion OPT. Students with qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees may apply for an additional 24-month extension.
That gives some STEM graduates as many as three years of authorized employment after completing their degree.
The student first requests a recommendation from the designated school official at the university. The student then files Form I-765 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and waits for an employment authorization document.
Work cannot begin before USCIS approves the application and the authorized start date arrives. The current process is explained in the official OPT instructions.
Nearly 300,000 International Students Used OPT
OPT is not a small program limited to a few universities.
During the 2024-25 academic year, 294,253 international students remained in the United States for practical work experience through OPT. That was 21% more than during the previous academic year.
The United States hosted 1,177,766 international students in total, representing about 6% of the country’s higher education population.
| International student group | 2024-25 total |
|---|---|
| All international students | 1,177,766 |
| Students participating in OPT | 294,253 |
| Graduate students | 488,481 |
| Undergraduate students | 357,231 |
The figures come from the latest Open Doors international student report.
India was the leading country of origin, with 363,019 students enrolled in the United States. China ranked second with 265,919 students.
A $100,000 Charge Would Exceed Many Starting Salaries
A recent graduate may already have paid several years of international tuition, housing, health insurance, transportation and visa expenses.
Adding another $100,000 before employment begins would place post-graduation work beyond the financial reach of many students.
The charge could also exceed the annual salary offered for some entry-level jobs. Graduates entering education, research, nonprofit work, communications or public service would face a particularly difficult calculation.
Even students moving into technology, finance or engineering may not have access to $100,000 immediately after graduation.
The policy could therefore favor wealthy families and graduates hired by the largest companies, rather than selecting workers according to qualifications or employer demand.
Employers May Stop Hiring International Graduates
The impact would depend heavily on who receives the bill.
If employers must pay, large technology and financial companies may continue recruiting a limited number of highly sought-after graduates. Smaller businesses, laboratories and startups could stop considering international applicants altogether.
A company is less likely to pay a six-figure charge for a new graduate who has limited professional experience, particularly when a domestic applicant can begin work without the additional expense.
The proposal could therefore reduce entry-level opportunities even when an employer believes that an international graduate is the strongest candidate.
OPT also serves as a bridge between college and longer-term employment authorization. Some graduates later enter the H-1B process, where demand regularly exceeds the number of available visas.
The competition is already visible in the FY 2027 H-1B lottery, which operates under annual numerical limits.
Universities Could Lose Students and Tuition Revenue
Employment after graduation is a major part of the value international students attach to an American degree.
Many students do not expect guaranteed permanent residence. They do expect a realistic opportunity to gain work experience in the country where they studied.
A $100,000 barrier could push applicants toward Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries with clearer or less expensive post-study employment routes.
Universities would feel the result through weaker enrollment and lower tuition revenue. International students often pay higher published tuition rates and receive less institutional financial aid than domestic students.
The effects would not be limited to university budgets. Lower enrollment can reduce spending on housing, food, transportation and local services in college communities.
The Proposal Could Hit Stem Programs Hardest
Math, computer science and engineering are among the most popular subjects for international students in the United States.
Those programs also feed workers into software development, artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, data analysis, biotechnology and advanced engineering.
STEM OPT currently gives qualifying graduates an additional two years of employment authorization when they meet the program requirements and work for an eligible employer.
A large new fee could weaken one of the main reasons students select American STEM programs instead of comparable degrees elsewhere.
Universities may also find it harder to recruit students for graduate research programs that rely on a steady international applicant pool.
Students Should Not Pay Anyone Based on The Report
No $100,000 OPT fee is currently due.
Students should be cautious of consultants, online accounts or fraudulent messages claiming that payment is already required. Immigration scams often appear after reports of possible policy changes.
Current applicants should continue following the existing USCIS process and deadlines. They should also work directly with their university’s international student office before filing documents or accepting employment.
OPT applications still require the school recommendation, Form I-765, supporting documents and the official filing fee listed by USCIS.
The Bottom Line
The administration would need to turn the internal proposal into a formal policy before the charge could take effect.
That process may involve publication of a proposed rule, a public comment period, a final rule and possible court challenges.
Legal questions would likely focus on the government’s authority to set a fee far above the administrative cost of processing an employment authorization application.
Universities, employers and international education organizations would also be expected to challenge a policy that could sharply reduce enrollment and hiring.
For now, the $100,000 figure represents a possible policy rather than a current requirement. Its importance lies in what it signals about the direction of U.S. rules for international students and skilled graduates.
