The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration released a two-page brief Wednesday arguing that two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions together threaten to cut many international students off from internships and work experience. The group is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against DHS over one of those actions.
The brief opens with the statement that “Experiential learning is a cornerstone of U.S. higher education.” It then covers a proposed fee on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and a narrower reading of Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
The Proposed OPT Fee
OPT lets international students work in their fields for up to 12 months before or after graduation, and eligible STEM graduates can apply for a 24-month extension. More than 294,000 students took part in 2024-25, according to the brief.
Under the rule DHS published Oct. 8, a college would pay $70,000 before recommending a student for initial OPT and $30,000 for each later recommendation, including STEM extensions. The Alliance says access could hinge on whether a student, school or employer can afford the fee, even for students who meet every eligibility requirement. It argues the charges would put OPT out of reach for many, “effectively dismantling a longstanding program.”
DHS says the fees are meant to prevent fraud and protect workers. The brief notes that the agency also says it expects the fees to reduce participation and that it may end the program without them. The proposal has not taken effect, and public comments are due Nov. 9.
The CPT Change
CPT covers internships and similar placements tied to a student’s academic program. More than 130,000 students received authorization in 2024, the brief says. In broadcast messages on Aug. 12 and Aug. 24, DHS told school officials to authorize CPT only when the training is required of all students in a degree program. The Alliance says that could bar international students from elective internships open to their domestic classmates, and that DHS made the change with no substantive explanation or comment period. It says many colleges have halted authorizations, upending internships for thousands of students. The Alliance and other groups sued over the broadcasts Oct. 5.
The Combined Effect
The brief says a student blocked from CPT may find pre-completion OPT unaffordable too, if the fee takes effect. It argues that, together with visa delays and other policy changes, this makes study in the United States less predictable, and that students and graduates may go elsewhere.
It also cites broader costs. International students contributed $42.9 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 355,000 jobs in 2024-25, according to the brief, which says reduced enrollment could strain campus resources and programs that serve American students. It adds that a recent survey found 69% of respondents “would not have enrolled” if the proposed fees were in place.
