Episode 43: Headline vs. Reality: Proposed OPT Fee and Related University Developments
What would a $70,000 fee on Optional Practical Training (OPT) mean for your institution, your students, and the employers who hire them?
In this episode, host Elise Fialkowski is joined by Ian Wilson to break down the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed rule, published October 8, that would impose significant new fees on F-1 students’ OPT. Drawing on decades of experience advising universities, including Ian’s eight years in-house at a university, they explain how the rule would work, who would pay, and why the timing matters for the spring 2027 OPT cycle.
Under…
The skinny
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