US Proposes $100,000 Fee on Universities Recommending Foreign Grads for OPT

The administration of Donald Trump has proposed charging universities up to $100,000 for every international graduate they recommend for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, according to a report in Nature.

Under the existing system, eligible foreign graduates pay a $2,500 fee to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services alongside an endorsement from their academic institution. The OPT program permits graduates to stay in the United States and work in their field for up to three years—a critical pipeline for tech firms and research labs relying on STEM talent.

The proposed overhaul shifts the financial burden directly onto colleges, requiring them to pay up to $100,000 per student they endorse. The Department of Homeland Security argued the fee would incentivize universities to better vet job placements, counter fraud, and protect domestic workers.

Academic institutions and economists view the proposal as a de facto blockade on foreign specialists. "This would destroy the talent pipeline," Michael Clemens, an economist at Johns Hopkins University, told Nature.

Whether the measure can survive legal scrutiny remains unresolved. Federal courts have repeatedly halted executive efforts to rewrite student visa rules, including a recent ruling that struck down an attempt to cap international student stays at four years—a restriction that would have paralyzed PhD programs.

Primary source: Nature

Source: habr