Studying in the USA in 2026: F-1 interviews, OPT and what's changed

The USA still has more top universities than any other country, and many of its master's and PhD programmes come with funding. But 2026 has been a year of fast policy change. Fees have risen, visa checks are stricter, and several rules are being fought over in court. This guide explains what has actually changed, what is only proposed, and what it means if you are applying from Bangladesh.

The big picture: what changed in 2025–2026

Here is a short summary before we go into detail. Each item is explained in its own section below.

• Fees went up. A new $250 "visa integrity fee" was created by law in July 2025. It is paid when a visa is issued.
• Online checks are stricter. Since June 2025, student visa applicants must set their social media profiles to public so officers can review them.
• Apply at home. Since September 2025, you should book your interview in your country of nationality or residence. For most readers, that means the US Embassy in Dhaka.
• "Duration of status" survives for now. A new rule to give students a fixed end date was due on 15 September 2026. A federal court blocked it one day before.
• H-1B is changing. A wage-weighted lottery replaced the random draw in 2026. A $100,000 fee on some petitions has been blocked by the courts, but the government is appealing.
• OPT is under review. Optional Practical Training (OPT) still exists. But the government has said it plans new rules and possibly new fees.

Step one: the I-20, SEVIS and your fees

Your journey starts when a university accepts you and issues a Form I-20. This is the document that proves you have a place on an approved programme. It shows your programme dates and the cost of attendance, which is the amount you must prove you can pay for the first year.

Your I-20 also gives you a SEVIS ID. SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, the government database that tracks international students. Before your visa can be issued, you pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. For most F-1 students it is $350, paid online at FMJfee.com.

Next, you complete the DS-160 online visa form and pay the visa application fee, also called the MRV fee. The US Embassy in Dhaka lists this at US$185. You must pay it before you can book an interview.

The new $250 visa integrity fee

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed on 4 July 2025, created a $250 visa integrity fee for most non-immigrant visas, including F-1. It is charged when the visa is issued, not when you apply, so you do not pay it if you are refused. The law says it will rise with inflation. It may, in theory, be refunded later to people who follow all visa rules, but the refund process is not yet clear.

Collection has been uneven. In May 2026, Boston University's international office reported that some consular posts had started charging it. Check the US Embassy Dhaka visa pages before your interview so you know whether to budget for it.

The F-1 interview from Bangladesh

Where to apply

On 6 September 2025, the State Department said visa applicants should book their interview in their country of nationality or residence. Applying in a third country to find a faster slot is now much harder. For Bangladeshi students living in Bangladesh, this means the US Embassy in Dhaka. The embassy's interview steps page explains how to book and what to bring.

Waiting times

Waiting times for an interview change every week. Do not rely on what a friend saw last month. Check the official visa appointment wait times tool on travel.state.gov. Select "Dhaka" and look at the student visa line. Summer (May to August) is the busiest time, so book as soon as your I-20 arrives.

Travel restrictions

A presidential proclamation that took effect on 1 January 2026 restricts entry for nationals of a list of countries. Bangladesh is not on that list at the time of writing. See the MIT international office summary. Separate pauses announced in January 2026 were aimed at immigrant (green card) processing, and F, J and M student visa processing continued, according to ICEF Monitor. These lists can change, so check before you book.

What the officer is checking

An F-1 interview is often only a few minutes long. The officer wants to know three things:

1. You are a real student. Can you explain why you chose this course and this university, and how it builds on your degree?
2. You can pay. Do your funds match the I-20, and can you explain where the money came from?
3. You plan to follow the rules. Can you describe your plans after graduation clearly and honestly?

Example. Rafi has a BSc in Computer Science from a Dhaka university, a 3.2 CGPA and IELTS 6.5. He has a place on an MS in Data Science with a partial scholarship. A strong answer names two or three modules, links them to his final-year project and explains his sponsor's income with documents. A weak answer is a memorised speech about "the best education in the world".

1. 1
   10–12 months beforeShortlist and test

   Pick 6–10 programmes. Book IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo, and the GRE only if your programmes ask for it.

2. 2
   8–10 months beforeApply and ask about funding

   Most US master's and PhD deadlines fall between December and February for autumn entry. Ask each department about assistantships.

3. 3
   4–6 months beforeAccept an offer and get your I-20

   Send proof of funds to the university. Check every detail on the I-20 against your passport.

4. 4
   Straight afterSEVIS fee, DS-160 and MRV fee

   Pay the $350 SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160, pay the $185 fee and book the earliest Dhaka slot.

5. 5
   Before the interviewMake social media public

   List all accounts from the last five years on the DS-160 and set them to public.

6. 6
   Interview dayAttend in Dhaka

   Bring your passport, I-20, fee receipts and financial documents. Answer briefly and honestly.

7. 7
   Up to 30 days before your programme startsTravel

   New F-1 students can usually enter the US up to 30 days before the programme start date on the I-20. Check the date with your university.

Social media vetting: what it means for you

On 18 June 2025, the State Department announced expanded screening and vetting for student and exchange visitor applicants. Every F, M and J applicant is asked to set all social media profiles to "public". You must also list the social media usernames you have used in the last five years on the DS-160.

What this means in practice:

• Do not delete accounts just before applying. Missing accounts or sudden changes can look suspicious. Make sure the DS-160 list is complete and true.
• Check old posts. Officers may look at anything public. Think about how posts could be read by someone who does not know you.
• Be consistent. Your LinkedIn, CV and DS-160 should tell the same story about your education and work.

If your accounts stay private, officers may treat it as a failure to provide information, which can delay or block your visa.

"Duration of status": the rule that was blocked

For decades, F-1 students have been admitted for "duration of status" (D/S). This means you may stay as long as you are studying properly, rather than until a fixed date.

On 17 July 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule to end D/S and give students a fixed admission period. It would also have cut the grace period after your programme from 60 days to 30 days, and made it harder to change programme or transfer. It was due to start on 15 September 2026.

On 14 September 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction in Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration v. DHS. The rule cannot be put into effect "pending further order of the court". See the summaries from Ogletree and NAFSA.

Working in the USA: CPT, OPT and STEM OPT

On-campus work

During term, F-1 students can usually work on campus for up to 20 hours a week, according to Study in the States. Library, lab and dining hall jobs are typical. Graduate assistantships (see below) also count as on-campus work.

CPT: useful, but be careful

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is off-campus work that is an integral part of your programme, such as a required internship. Your DSO authorises it. Read the rules on ICE's practical training page.

Be very careful with so-called "Day 1 CPT" programmes. They advertise that you can work full-time from your first day, often with only occasional classes. Some are run by legitimate universities, but the model attracts close scrutiny. Risks include problems at a later visa interview, at the H-1B stage or with a future green card. Also, ICE says that 12 months or more of full-time CPT makes you ineligible for OPT. Part-time CPT does not.

OPT

Optional Practical Training (OPT) lets you work in a job related to your field. According to USCIS:

• You can get up to 12 months of OPT per degree level.
• You apply on Form I-765 up to 90 days before and no later than 60 days after you finish your degree.
• You must not start work until your Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) is approved.
• Unemployment is limited to 90 days in total during the 12 months.

STEM OPT

If your degree is in an eligible STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) field, you can apply for a 24-month extension, according to USCIS. Your employer must use E-Verify, the government's online employment check. Total unemployment across OPT and STEM OPT is capped at 150 days.

What might change

OPT has not been abolished. But DHS has a practical training rule on its regulatory agenda, with details expected around February 2027, according to ICEF Monitor. Separately, a DHS proposal to add new fees for OPT applications cleared White House review on 14 September 2026 but had not been published when we checked. The amount is not yet known, according to Fragomen. Proposals must be published, go through public comment and then be finalised before they apply.

H-1B: the step after OPT

The H-1B is the main US work visa for graduate-level jobs. It is capped, so there is a yearly selection. Two big changes matter for you.

Wage-weighted selection

DHS replaced the random lottery with a weighted selection that gives higher-paid job offers a better chance. The rule was announced on 23 December 2025, took effect on 27 February 2026 and was first used for the FY 2027 season, according to USCIS. Entry-level (Level I) offers now have a lower chance than before. This makes your salary and job level more important, not just your degree.

The $100,000 payment

A proclamation from 19 September 2025 required a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B petitions filed from 21 September 2025. It was aimed mainly at workers outside the US. On 8 June 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts vacated the guidance that put it into effect. On 24 July 2026, the appeals court refused to pause that decision. USCIS says it will comply while it considers next steps, and that it still plans to collect the payment if the order is later lifted. See the USCIS alert.

What this means for you: the H-1B is a possibility after OPT, not a plan you can count on. Choose a course that also makes sense if you come home or move to another country after OPT.

Cost and funding

US study is expensive. Your I-20 shows the university's own cost of attendance for one year, including tuition, housing and insurance. Private universities and big cities cost much more than public universities in smaller towns. Always compare the I-20 figure, not the advertised tuition.

Assistantships

For many Bangladeshi students, the real route is a funded graduate assistantship:

• Teaching Assistant (TA): you help teach or mark undergraduate classes.
• Research Assistant (RA): you work on a professor's research project.
• Graduate Assistant (GA): you work in a university office.

A full assistantship may include a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend. PhD offers are far more likely to be fully funded than master's offers. To improve your chances, email professors whose research matches yours, with a short and specific message. Your CGPA, research experience and publications matter more here than the university's ranking. See our scholarships guide.

The community college "2+2" route

If you want an undergraduate degree on a smaller budget, consider a community college. You study for two years for an associate degree, often at much lower tuition. Then you transfer to a four-year university for the final two years. Many states have transfer agreements with their public universities.

Before you choose this route, check three things. First, confirm the college is SEVP-certified and can issue an I-20. Second, check the transfer agreement with your target university in writing. Third, check which credits transfer. EducationUSA has free, official advice centres, including one in Dhaka.

What to do next

1. Check your readiness. Use our US checklist and the US destination page.
2. Test your English. Take our free IELTS level check.
3. Look for funding early. Email professors and read our scholarships guide.
4. Watch the news. OPT fees, the D/S lawsuit and H-1B rules may all change in the coming months. Follow our US news.
5. Talk to us. See how we work. We help you choose courses and prepare documents and interviews. We cannot promise a visa, a job or a green card, and no honest adviser can.