Why Trump’s proposed $100,000 OPT fee could hit Indian students hard

NewsWorldUS NewsWhy Trump's proposed $100,000 OPT fee could hit Indian students hard The fee would apply to OPT visas, an extension of the F-1 student visa that lets foreign graduates work in the US for one to three years in fields related to their studies. 2 min readJul 31, 2026 05:20 PM IST First published on: Jul 31, 2026 at 05:20 PM IST International students at a US university commencement ceremony. (Photo: AP) The Trump administration is considering a $100,000 (about Rs 96.4 lakh) fee for international graduates seeking to work in the US under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a move that could hit thousands of Indian students and make American universities less attractive to foreign applicants, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The move will likely make study