University of Pennsylvania (Penn) OPT Fee Information
The University of Pennsylvania (in Philadelphia) charges a Penn Internal Processing Fee through its International Student and Scholar Services office (ISSS) for post-completion OPT and STEM OPT, on top of the USCIS filing fee.
ISSS OPT page | ISSS STEM OPT page
Fee Details
| Application | Amount |
|---|---|
| Post-completion OPT | $305 |
| STEM OPT extension | $290 or $305 (two pages disagree) |
| Pre-completion OPT | Only the USCIS filing fee is listed |
From the OPT overview page:
Post-Completion OPT: $305 Penn fee + $470 USCIS fee
STEM OPT Extension: $305 Penn fee + $470 USCIS fee
The STEM OPT page and the STEM OPT application steps say $290:
STEM OPT Extension: $290 Penn Internal Processing Fee
Upload a completed Form I-983 and pay the $290 Penn Internal Processing Fee.
The overview page lists the premium processing fee as $1,685, while the STEM OPT page says $1,780, so the overview's figures may be out of date. When you apply for STEM OPT, go by the amount iPenn actually asks you to pay.
When the Fee Is Charged
iPenn prompts you to pay after you submit the e-form. From the post-completion OPT application page:
You will be prompted to pay the Penn Internal Processing Fee after submitting the e-form in iPenn.
From the STEM OPT application page:
After submitting the eForm in iPenn, pay the Penn Internal Processing Fee.
Notes
- This fee is paid to the school. It is separate from the USCIS I-765 filing fee, and you pay both.
- The website doesn't say whether the fee is refundable.