US University STEM OPT Fee List
Many US universities' international student offices charge students who apply for the STEM OPT extension a fee of their own, on top of the USCIS filing fee. The name varies by school; common ones are STEM OPT Administrative Fee, OPT SEVIS Maintenance Fee, and Post-Completion Services Fee.
Among the 27 schools in the table below, STEM OPT fees with a stated amount range from $175 to $650, and most schools charge more than they do for post-completion OPT. For post-completion OPT fees, see the US University OPT Fee List.
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 STEM 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 | STEM OPT | Refunds | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University (ASU) | AZ | OPT Case Management Payment | 300 | Not stated | STEM |
| University of Arizona | AZ | OPT Case Management Fee | 300 | Only if the school finds you ineligible; none after filing with USCIS | STEM, Refunds |
| UC Berkeley | CA | Post-Completion Services Fee | 595 | Not stated | STEM |
| UCLA | CA | Dashew Center Visa Services Fee | 423 | Non-refundable | Fee schedule |
| UC San Diego | CA | Administrative Processing Fee | 595 | Only if the school finds you ineligible | STEM |
| UC Irvine | CA | Post-Completion Administrative Fee | 300 | Only if the school finds you ineligible | Fee FAQ |
| San José State University (SJSU) | CA | Administrative Post-Completion OPT / STEM OPT fee | 300 | Not stated | STEM |
| Stanford University | CA | Bechtel I-20 processing fee | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | STEM |
| University of Southern California (USC) | CA | OIS administrative processing fee | 200 | Non-refundable | STEM |
| University of Florida | FL | STEM OPT Administrative Charge | 250; 500 if you apply within 30 days of your EAD expiring | Not stated | STEM |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | IL | OPT / STEM OPT Administrative Fee | 200 | Not stated | STEM |
| Indiana University Bloomington | IN | STEM extension processing fee | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | STEM |
| Northeastern University | MA | STEM OPT administrative fee | 400 | Not stated | STEM |
| Boston University | MA | processing fee | 200 | Not stated | STEM |
| MIT | MA | MIT Administrative Fee | 300 (200 before April 2026) | Non-refundable | STEM |
| University of Minnesota Twin Cities | MN | STEM OPT/AT fee | 400 (from January 2026) | Not stated | Notice, STEM |
| Columbia University | NY | STEM OPT Administration Fee | 650 | Not stated | STEM |
| Cornell University | NY | OPT STEM service maintenance fee | 325 | Non-refundable | STEM |
| New York University (NYU) | NY | Maintenance of Status Fee | 200 | Not stated | STEM payment page |
| Pace University | NY | ISS OPT Administrative Fee | 175 | Non-refundable once the school issues the I-20 | STEM |
| Oregon State University | OR | OIS Processing Fee | 190 | Not stated | STEM |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) | PA | Penn Internal Processing Fee | 290 or 305 (two pages disagree) | Not stated | STEM, OPT overview |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) | TX | OPT SEVIS Maintenance Fee | 204 | Not stated | STEM checklist |
| Texas A&M University | TX | International Student Post Enrollment Maintenance Fee | Charged; amount not listed | Not stated | OPT, Catalog |
| University of Texas at Austin | TX | Optional Practical Training Administrative Fee | 300 (charged even if your employer files for you) | Not stated | Fees |
| University of Texas at Dallas | TX | Practical Training Fee | 300 | Not stated | STEM |
| University of Washington (Seattle) | WA | Post-Completion Training Fee | 200 | Only if the school finds you ineligible, minus $5 | Fee page |
Notes on the table:
- Three schools contradict themselves. Penn's OPT overview says 305 for STEM OPT, while its STEM page says 290. UT Dallas's international office page says 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.
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. Georgia Tech and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) also charge for post-completion OPT but don't mention a STEM OPT 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 STEM OPT I-20. SMU and NYU require you to upload the payment receipt with your STEM OPT request; USC lets you continue the form only after payment is confirmed; Penn prompts you to pay after you submit the e-form in iPenn.
- 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.