Key Takeaways

  • International students and scholars bring diverse talent to the U.S. workforce 
  • Changes to the Duration of Status rule and potential OPT legislation may impact the international talent pipeline 
  • Advisors must prepare to support students when these changes are implemented 

International students and scholars bring so much talent, insight, culture, and courage to the socioeconomic fabric of the U.S. Yet, more so now than ever, they are facing an uphill battle to legally apply to study and work here.  

We are losing out on some of the best and brightest people when student visas and Optional Practical Training (OPT) programs are delayed or denied. 

As advisors to international students, you are vital to helping them navigate the processes they need to follow to study here in the U.S. Here are two critical issues they may be facing ahead of the new school year and how you can prepare. 

Duration of Status rule to change September 15, 2026 

As you are aware, individuals who pursue education in the U.S. must obtain—and maintain—visas that allow them to do so legally. The Duration or Status, or D/S, rule allows visa-holding students and scholars to remain here while they complete their studies, with a grace period of up to 60 days after to accommodate the time it may take to do things such as:  

  • Wrap up their degree or research 
  • Apply for graduate studies (and time to extend their visa to accommodate) 
  • Apply and be approved for an OPT program 

However, a new rule brought forth by the current administration is drastically changing D/S, making it much more difficult for international students to complete their studies or pursue advanced degrees.  

On June 17, 2026, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget completed its review of the Department of Homeland Security’s proposed updates to the D/S rule. It was officially published in the U.S.’s Federal Register on July 17. Sixty days after it’s published, the rule will go into effect.   

Upcoming changes to the D/S rule include: 

  • Replacing D/S with a fixed end-of-stay date (either the formal end date of the program of study or a maximum of four years, whichever is shorter) 
  • Shortening the grace period from 60 to 30 days 
  • Formal extension of stay application must be filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) instead of through the school 
  • New restrictions on school and program transfers 
  • And more 

It’s important to note that the USCIS currently has an enormous backlog of cases. Adding more paperwork will significantly increase delays in processing and could cause students to miss important filing deadlines or miss out on opportunities altogether. 

NAFSA is tracking the latest on the D/S rule change and is a great resource for the latest developments.

OPT opposition creates delays, dismay

OPT, which is on-the-job training for international students pursuing a degree in the U.S., is considered a valuable component of their studies.  

For more than 30 years, this program has not only helped students; it has been beneficial to the U.S. economy, too. According to NAFSA, international students helped fill 355,736 jobs and contributed $42.9 billion—and that’s just during the 2024-2025 school year. 

Economy aside, OPT has been a major draw for students in highly specialized fields of study and has helped the U.S. remain competitive as other countries vie for top talent. 

While it has had bipartisan support in the past, OPT is now under scrutiny. At the end of 2025, the current administration reinstated travel restrictions on 39 countries, throwing students and OPT applicants from these countries for a loop. Much like the changes to the D/S rule, OPT issues are causing students and recent graduates to worry that they may not be able to complete their studies or programming. 

For months, these individuals were stuck here wondering what would happen next. In June 2026, a federal judge declared the ban unlawful; however, that victory would be short lived. Later that same month, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) filed legislation to defund OPT altogether.  

This back-and-forth notwithstanding, for now, OPT as it stands remains in practice. Proposed reforms are expected to be reviewed in 2027. 

How you can prepare 

As with all instances of litigation and governmental policy decisions, these issues remain fluid. However, as an advisor to students enduring the stress caused by these potential rule changes, you can prepare for what may come next.  

NAFSA has created some sample readiness checklists for advisors in their regulatory brief on the D/S rule change. Among the things you can do to help prepare are: 

  • Identify students likely to need additional time soon after the effective date of the final rule 
  • Prepare comparison messaging for students evaluating other countries and monitor competitor country messaging 
  • Update admitted student communications to include fixed-date admission explanation and need to file Form I-539 before expiration (if applicable) 
  • Audit programs for typical vs. maximum completion time and likelihood of extension needs 
  • Update OPT and academic training explanations to reflect possible need for extension of stay 

Consider implementing some of these action items or others as listed in advance of upcoming changes and rulings. s. 

Help is just a chat, phone call, or email away 

Navigating regulatory uncertainty can be challenging. For students, the stress caused by these changes can impact their mental health. Encourage them to use their international student health insurance to access on-demand support.  

Advisors—the LewerMark Client Advocacy Team is here for you, too. Allow us to help you support your students by helping them navigate their health insurance. Reach out by live chat, phone, or email at [email protected] to connect with our team.