A report that the Trump administration is considering a US$100,000 fee connected to Optional Practical Training (OPT) has understandably alarmed international students. But as at 12 August 2026, it is not an announced rule, law or executive proclamation — it is press reporting of an idea still under discussion at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Singapore families should not panic or change university plans solely because of it, but they should treat US post-study work access as a higher-risk planning assumption and build credible alternatives into their decisions.
Source: Forbes
The Short Answer: No US$100,000 OPT Fee Exists Yet
The most important point is status. Reporting from late July / early August 2026 said the administration was weighinga possible US$100,000 charge tied to OPT — the work authorisation route commonly used by F-1 students after a US degree. Bloomberg reported a White House official saying there was “no imminent policy change”, while not denying the proposal was under consideration. DHS's reported position is even clearer: “No policies should be considered final until formally announced.” So this is not a signed executive action, a published DHS regulation, a USCIS fee schedule, or anything a student can presently pay or avoid.
Sources: Bloomberg ; The PIE News
No policies should be considered final until formally announced.
What Has (and Hasn't) Been Reported
OPT lets eligible F-1 students do work directly related to their field of study; standard OPT can be authorised for up to 12 months, and eligible STEM graduates may apply for a further 24-month STEM OPT extension. Beyond that, the central details of the reported fee are unspecified.
| Question | Confirmed as at 12 Aug 2026 | Unconfirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Is a fee in force? | No Reporting describes an idea under DHS discussion, not an announced policy | Whether it will ever be formally proposed or implemented |
| What amount | US$100,000 discussed figure | Whether one-off, recurring, refundable, or waivable |
| What would it attach to? | Reporting says OPT | Initial OPT, STEM OPT, an F-1 extension, re-entry, or another filing |
| Who would pay? | No payer identified | Student, university, employer or another party |
| Which students affected? | None there is no rule | New applicants, existing OPT holders, STEM applicants, certain courses/nationalities |
| When would it begin? | No effective date announced | Any implementation or transition date |
Sources: Forbes ; USCIS Policy Manual
Do Not Confuse OPT With H-1B
Some headlines blur two different matters. On 19 September 2025 the White House issued a proclamation restricting entry of certain H-1B specialty workers unless the petition was accompanied by a US$100,000 payment; the White House FAQ described it as a one-time payment for new H-1B petitions from 21 September 2025, not applying to previously issued visas, earlier petitions or renewals. That is an H-1B measure (an employer-sponsored specialty-occupation work visa) — not an OPT fee (OPT is student work authorisation, typically used before H-1B).
The legal complication
There is also a major legal complication: a federal judge vacated the administration's US$100,000 H-1B fee policy — declaring it “unlawful and vacated in its entirety” and finding the payment “amounts to a tax, not a penalty” beyond the president's authority — and the administration has appealed. That litigation concerns the H-1B measure, not an OPT fee, because no OPT policy has been formally issued.
Sources: White House H-1B FAQ ; White House Presidential Action ; Forbes
The Separate Four-Year F-1 Rule
Alongside the reported OPT idea, a different, actually announced change exists. On 16 July 2026 DHS announced a final rule replacing “duration of status” for F/J/I non-immigrants: F-1 students are admitted for the length of their programme up to a maximum of four years, with an Extension of Stay via USCIS if more time is needed, and the post-programme departure period reduced from 60 to 30 days. This is a confirmed structural change — see our detailed guide to the four-year F-1 rule — distinct from the unconfirmed US$100,000 OPT proposal.
Source: U.S. ICE news release
A Sensible Planning Framework
When comparing offers, separate three questions that families often bundle together:
Three questions to separate
- 1. Is the degree worth it even if the graduate returns to Singapore immediately? Weigh course quality, career relevance, network, personal growth, scholarships and total family cost — independently of any US work outcome.
- 2. Is the US work outcome attractive under current rules? Today, OPT (up to 12 months, plus 24 months STEM) still exists and no US$100,000 OPT fee is in force. But treat future access as uncertain: policy could change before a degree finishes, and the reported fee — if it ever became real and student-paid — could make a normal post-degree work period financially unrealistic for most families.
- 3. Do the alternatives stack up? Compare the US route against the UK Graduate visa (post-study work, though its duration has been tightened for 2027 starts), the Australia Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, and simply building a career from Singapore with an overseas degree. A student whose plan depends entirely on working in the US after graduation is carrying the most policy risk; a student happy to study in the US and return home is carrying the least.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a US$100,000 OPT fee right now?
No. As at 12 August 2026 it is a reported idea under discussion at DHS, not an announced rule, law or fee you can pay or avoid. Bloomberg reported a White House official saying there was "no imminent policy change".
Is the OPT fee the same as the US$100,000 H-1B fee?
No. The H-1B US$100,000 payment was a separate September 2025 proclamation for new H-1B petitions — and a federal court has since vacated it, with the administration appealing. OPT (student work authorisation) is different from H-1B (employer-sponsored work visa).
Should a Singaporean student cancel US university plans because of this?
No. A US degree can still be an excellent academic choice, and nothing has changed in law. The sensible response is to treat US post-study work as uncertain, not to abandon a good offer.
What should a Singapore family actually do now?
Verify status from official sources rather than headlines; decide whether the degree is worth it even without US work; and keep credible alternatives (UK, Australia, or a career from Singapore) genuinely open. Do not pre-pay or plan around a fee that does not exist.
Related Resources
F-1 Visa Four-Year Rule
The confirmed DHS rule replacing duration of status — what changes from 15 September 2026.
QS World University Rankings 2027
See how NUS and NTU compare globally against US universities Singaporean students consider.
The bottom line
Uncertainty is not the same as bad news. As at 12 August 2026, the US$100,000 OPT fee is a proposal being discussed, not a rule — and a calm, well-informed family that separates “is the degree worth it” from “will the US work pathway hold” will make a better decision than one reacting to a headline.
Note on completeness: The specific scope, payer, mechanism, exemptions and any effective date of the reported OPT fee are unknown because no policy has been formally issued. This article deliberately does not state details that have not been officially confirmed.
Sources
- 1.Forbes — New immigration plan considered to stop students working in US (3 Aug 2026). forbes.com
- 2.Bloomberg — Trump weighs $100,000 fee for foreign students to work post-grad (30 Jul 2026). bloomberg.com
- 3.The PIE News — Trump administration considers a US$100,000 OPT fee. thepienews.com
- 4.South China Morning Post — Trump weighs US$100,000 fee for foreign students (5 Aug 2026). scmp.com
- 5.The American Bazaar — Why experts say the $100,000 OPT fee has little chance of surviving (11 Aug 2026). americanbazaaronline.com
- 6.USCIS Policy Manual — Practical Training. uscis.gov
- 7.White House — H-1B FAQ. whitehouse.gov
- 8.White House — Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers. whitehouse.gov
- 9.U.S. ICE — Trump Administration Issues Final Rule to End Foreign Student Visa Abuse (16 Jul 2026). ice.gov
Cite this page: SGSchoolKaki Education Team, “OPT Fee Singapore: What US-Bound Families Should Know,” SGSchoolKaki, 19 Aug 2026, https://sgschoolkaki.com/blog/trump-100k-opt-fee-international-students-2026.