US OPT and STEM OPT: fees, filing deadlines and unemployment days (2026)
Form I-765 for OPT or a STEM OPT extension costs $470 online or $520 on paper, and for post-completion OPT you can file it from 90 days before to 60 days after your program end date, according to the USCIS fee schedule and Form I-765 page read on 30 October 2026. OPT lasts up to 12 months per education level, plus 24 months with the STEM extension, with at most 90 days of unemployment (150 with STEM).
Form I-765 filing fee (OPT and STEM OPT): $470 online · $520 paper
Sources: USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026); USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service (page updated 28 October 2026); U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (page updated 7 October 2026); Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub: Unemployment Counter (page updated 27 July 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports what USCIS, ICE (SEVP) and the Federal Register said on the date we read them. Your designated school official (DSO) and USCIS decide on your case, and rules can change quickly: check with your DSO and USCIS before you file.
OPT and STEM OPT fees in 2026
OPT and the STEM extension use the same form and the same fee. The fee schedule lists online filing at $470 and paper filing at $520; USCIS accepts Form I-765 online for post-completion OPT and for the STEM extension.
| What | Amount | Status | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form I-765, filed online (OPT, STEM OPT) | $470 | In force | USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026) |
| Form I-765, filed on paper | $520 | In force | USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026) |
| Premium processing (Form I-907): decision within 30 business days | $1,780 | In force since 1 March 2026; it was $1,685 | USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service (page updated 28 October 2026); 91 FR 1059 |
| Extra fee of Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1) on some work permits | Not listed for OPT | The fee schedule lists it for categories such as parolees, TPS and asylum applicants, not for the OPT categories (c)(3) | USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026) |
| Proposed OPT fee, paid by the school | $70,000 first OPT · $30,000 later OPT | Proposal not in force; comments until 9 November 2026 | 91 FR 64566 |
Sources: USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026); USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service (page updated 28 October 2026); USCIS, How Do I Request Premium Processing? (page updated 23 March 2026); USCIS, Forms Available to File Online (page updated 7 October 2026); Federal Register, Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees (final rule, 91 FR 1059, 12 January 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
When to file
| Type | When to file Form I-765 | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-completion OPT | Up to 90 days before you complete one full academic year, after the DSO recommendation | You cannot start work before the full academic year |
| Post-completion OPT | From 90 days before to 60 days after your program end date | Within 30 days of the DSO recommendation in SEVIS; start date no later than 60 days after the program end date |
| 24-month STEM OPT extension | Up to 90 days before your current OPT EAD expires | Within 60 days of the DSO recommendation |
Sources: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (page updated 7 October 2026); USCIS, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students (page updated 25 November 2024); USCIS, Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT) (page updated 30 January 2026); Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub: F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) (page updated 19 May 2025); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Practical Training (page updated 10 December 2024). Read on 30 October 2026.
You cannot start working until USCIS approves Form I-765 and you have the Employment Authorization Document (EAD). If you file the STEM extension on time and your OPT EAD expires while it is pending, your work authorization is extended automatically for up to 180 days.
Unemployment days
On post-completion OPT you can be unemployed for 90 days in total. With the STEM extension the total is 150 days, which includes the days used during post-completion OPT. SEVIS counts from the actual OPT start date and adds each day without employer information in your record. How the days are counted.
Sources: Study in the States, SEVIS Help Hub: Unemployment Counter (page updated 27 July 2026); USCIS, Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT) (page updated 30 January 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
Proposed or on hold: what is not the rule today
Several changes to OPT were published in 2026. Only some are in force:
| Change | Status | What it means today | Federal Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPT fees of $70,000 and $30,000 | Proposal | Proposed on 8 October 2026; comments close on 9 November 2026. Not in force. Details | 91 FR 64566 |
| Filing deadline and grace period cut from 60 to 30 days | Final rule on hold | Published on 17 July 2026, due to take effect on 15 September 2026; a federal court postponed it on 14 September 2026 and USCIS applies the previous rules. Details | 91 FR 44976 |
| Premium processing fee $1,780 | In force | Since 1 March 2026 (inflation adjustment). | 91 FR 1059 |
| H.R. 1 fees, fiscal year 2027 | In force | Adjusted from 16 October 2026; they apply to other categories (for example parolees, TPS and asylum applicants), not to OPT. | 91 FR 62540 |
Sources: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (page updated 7 October 2026); USCIS, G-1055, Fee Schedule: Form I-765 (page updated 28 October 2026); Federal Register, Optional Practical Training Fees (proposed rule, 91 FR 64566, 8 October 2026); Federal Register, Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media (final rule, 91 FR 44976, 17 July 2026); Federal Register, Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees (final rule, 91 FR 1059, 12 January 2026); Federal Register, Fiscal Year 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees (notice, 91 FR 62540, 1 October 2026). Read on 30 October 2026.
Questions people ask
How much does OPT cost in 2026?
The Form I-765 filing fee is $470 if you file online and $520 on paper (USCIS fee schedule, edition read on 30 October 2026). Premium processing costs $1,780 more and gets a decision within 30 business days.
When can I apply for OPT?
For post-completion OPT, USCIS must receive Form I-765 from 90 days before to 60 days after your program end date, and within 30 days of your DSO's recommendation in SEVIS.
How long is OPT?
Up to 12 months at each education level; with a STEM degree you can apply for a 24-month extension.
How many days can I be unemployed on OPT?
90 days in total on post-completion OPT, and 150 days in total if you also get the STEM extension (the 150 include the days used before).
Is the $70,000 OPT fee in force?
No. It is a proposed rule published on 8 October 2026; comments close on 9 November 2026. As proposed, the school would pay it, not the student. A final rule would have to be published before it applies.
Has the OPT deadline changed to 30 days?
Not for now. A final rule of 17 July 2026 would cut the 60 days to 30, but a federal court postponed it on 14 September 2026 and USCIS says it is applying the previous rules. Check with your DSO before relying on the 60 days.
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