US University OPT Fee List
Many US universities' international student offices charge students who apply for OPT or STEM OPT a fee of their own, on top of the USCIS filing fee. The name varies by school; common ones are OPT Administrative Fee, Post-Completion Services Fee, and OPT SEVIS Maintenance Fee.
Among the 29 schools in the table below, post-completion OPT fees range from $85 to $423 and STEM OPT fees from $175 to $650. Most schools charge more for STEM OPT than for post-completion OPT.
This is a school fee, not the USCIS filing fee
The fees in this table are paid to the school. They are separate from the I-765 filing fee paid to USCIS ($470 online, $520 on paper), and you usually pay both.
Why schools charge
The federal regulation for F-1 students (8 CFR 214.2(f)) mentions only the USCIS filing fee and the SEVIS fee. It says nothing about school OPT fees, so each school decides whether to charge and how much.
Schools charge because the regulation gives them a duty that continues after graduation: once a school recommends OPT, it must maintain the student's SEVIS record for the entire OPT period. 8 CFR 214.2(f)(11)(ii):
When a DSO recommends a student for OPT, the school assumes the added responsibility for maintaining the SEVIS record of that student for the entire period of authorized OPT, consistent with paragraph (f)(12) of this section.
STEM OPT involves more work: every 6 months the student must confirm their SEVIS information with the DSO, report changes and unemployment within 10 days, and submit a self-evaluation every year (see Study in the States). By then the student has graduated and no longer pays tuition. When the University of Minnesota started charging for STEM OPT in January 2026, it said so plainly:
Alumni on STEM OPT do not currently pay fees because they are no longer enrolled as students; however, the initial STEM OPT recommendation and the ongoing reporting requirements for alumni on STEM OPT generate a significant amount of work for ISSS.
Schools that state what the fee covers all describe maintaining SEVIS records, processing reports, and continued advising. None of the schools in the table says the fee pays for verifying employers; for why that matters, see OPT 出事，谁收钱、谁背锅 (in Chinese).
School Fee Overview
Amounts are in US dollars, checked against each school's official website in October 2026.
| School | State | Fee name | Post-completion OPT | STEM OPT | Refunds | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University (ASU) | AZ | OPT Case Management Payment | 200 | 300 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| University of Arizona | AZ | OPT Case Management Fee | 150 | 300 | Only if the school finds you ineligible; none after filing with USCIS | OPT, STEM, Refunds |
| UC Berkeley | CA | Post-Completion Services Fee | 250 | 595 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| UCLA | CA | Dashew Center Visa Services Fee | 423 | 423 | Non-refundable | Fee schedule |
| UC San Diego | CA | Administrative Processing Fee | 250 | 595 | Only if the school finds you ineligible | OPT, STEM |
| UC Irvine | CA | Post-Completion Administrative Fee | 100 | 300 | Only if the school finds you ineligible | Fee FAQ |
| San José State University (SJSU) | CA | Administrative Post-Completion OPT / STEM OPT fee | 150 | 300 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| Stanford University | CA | Bechtel I-20 processing fee | Charged; amount not listed | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| University of Southern California (USC) | CA | OIS administrative processing fee | Not mentioned | 200 | Non-refundable | STEM |
| University of Florida | FL | STEM OPT Administrative Charge | Not mentioned | 250; 500 if you apply within 30 days of your EAD expiring | Not stated | STEM |
| Georgia Tech | GA | Practical Training Fee | 35 per authorization | Not mentioned | Refundable if the internship can't be completed for reasons outside your control | Fee page |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) | IL | OPT Management Fee | 100 | Not mentioned | Not stated | OPT |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | IL | OPT / STEM OPT Administrative Fee | 100 | 200 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| Indiana University Bloomington | IN | STEM extension processing fee | Not mentioned | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | STEM |
| Northeastern University | MA | OGS Post-Graduation Administrative Fee / STEM OPT administrative fee | 200 | 400 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| Boston University | MA | processing fee | 100 | 200 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| MIT | MA | MIT Administrative Fee | 150 (only for OPT longer than 100 days) | 300 (200 before April 2026) | STEM OPT fee non-refundable | OPT, STEM |
| University of Minnesota Twin Cities | MN | STEM OPT/AT fee | No fee (stated on the website) | 400 (from January 2026) | Not stated | Notice, STEM |
| Columbia University | NY | OPT Administration Fee / STEM OPT Administration Fee | 340 | 650 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| Cornell University | NY | OPT service fee / OPT STEM service maintenance fee | 225 | 325 | Non-refundable | OPT, STEM |
| New York University (NYU) | NY | Maintenance of Status Fee | 125 | 200 | Not stated | OPT payment page, STEM payment page |
| Pace University | NY | ISS OPT Administrative Fee | 125 | 175 | Non-refundable once the school issues the I-20 | OPT, STEM |
| Oregon State University | OR | OIS Processing Fee | Not mentioned | 190 | Not stated | STEM |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) | PA | Penn Internal Processing Fee | 305 | 290 or 305 (two pages disagree) | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) | TX | OPT SEVIS Maintenance Fee | 102 | 204 | Not stated | OPT checklist, STEM checklist |
| Texas A&M University | TX | International Student Post Enrollment Maintenance Fee | 200 | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | OPT, Catalog |
| University of Texas at Austin | TX | Optional Practical Training Administrative Fee | 150 | 300 (charged even if your employer files for you) | Not stated | Fees |
| University of Texas at Dallas | TX | Practical Training Fee | 150 | 300 | Not stated | OPT, STEM |
| University of Washington (Seattle) | WA | Post-Completion Training Fee | 85 | 200 | Only if the school finds you ineligible, minus $5 | Fee page |
Notes on the table:
- "Not mentioned" means the school's OPT page lists only the USCIS filing fee and no school fee. It does not prove the school charges nothing.
- Pre-completion OPT: Cornell, Stanford and SMU state that they don't charge for it; Minnesota states that it doesn't charge for the first 12-month OPT application.
- Three schools contradict themselves. Penn's OPT overview says 305 for STEM OPT, while its STEM page says 290. UT Dallas's international office pages say 150 and 300, while its 2026 catalog says 100 per practical training application. UCLA's fee schedule revised in July 2026 says 423, while its STEM OPT guide still says 380.
- Other fees: USC charges a separate non-refundable $100 for Cap-Gap extensions, and Georgia Tech charges its $35 for every CPT and OPT authorization.
Schools Whose Websites Don't Mention a School Fee
Purdue University, Ohio State University, Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, University of Utah, Santa Clara University, University of Colorado Boulder.
Their OPT and STEM OPT pages list only the USCIS filing fee. That doesn't mean they never charge; check your school's notices before applying.
Before You Pay
- Schools collect the fee before issuing the OPT I-20. UIUC states that it processes the new I-20 only after payment; ASU, SMU and Cornell require you to upload the payment receipt with your request.
- Fees are rarely refunded. Usually the only refund case is when the school finds you ineligible. The University of Arizona states that there is no refund after the application is filed with USCIS, or if USCIS denies or delays the I-765.
- Late applications cost more. The University of Florida raises its STEM OPT charge from $250 to $500 if you apply within 30 days of your OPT EAD expiring.
- The fee pays for record-keeping and advising. After charging, the school maintains your SEVIS record and processes reports; it does not verify your employer for you.
Adding a School
If your school isn't listed, add a row in the same format: take the fee name, amount and refund rule from the school's official website, and link the official page in the "Source" column. For a school that needs a longer explanation, create a separate page named after the school in this folder.