Is an American Degree Worth It Without OPT? A Practical Guide

(UNITED STATES) Many international families are now asking a hard question: if OPT (Optional Practical Training) ends, is the long journey of studying in the United States 🇺🇸 still worth it, especially for STEM students who dream of U.S. work experience and maybe long‑term immigration? The honest answer is that the academic value of a U.S. degree stays strong, but the financial and career risk rises sharply, so you must plan your full journey step by step.

Step 1: Deciding Whether a U.S. Degree Still Makes Sense Without OPT

The first decision is simple to state but hard to make: are you studying mainly for education, or mainly for U.S. work and immigration?

From an academic point of view, nothing in the source material suggests this will change. The United States hosts 42 of the top 100 global universities, has a very strong research system, and is home to many of the world’s leading companies in tech, AI, biotech, finance, and aerospace. For STEM students, labs, professors, and industry connections are often world class.

So even if Optional Practical Training ends, the classroom and research value of a U.S. degree remains high. The problem is that academics alone do not usually justify:

• ₹60–₹1.2 crore in tuition and living costs
• 2–4 years of your youth
• The emotional hope of working or settling in the United States

For most students, the return on investment (ROI) depends heavily on getting U.S. work experience after graduation through OPT.

Step 2: Understanding What OPT Currently Does in the Student Journey

Right now, the standard path for many international students looks like this:

F‑1 student status → OPT → H‑1B work visa → possible green card

Under current rules:

• Most graduates can get 12 months of OPT
• STEM graduates can often get an extra 24 months of STEM OPT extension

During this time, students can work in jobs related to their major. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, this U.S. work experience is often the key point that:

• Makes a resume much stronger in global job markets
• Gives employers a way to “test” a worker before deciding on H‑1B sponsorship
• Keeps a graduate in the United States long enough to join the H‑1B lottery at least once

Official details on OPT and eligibility are outlined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on its F‑1 Students and Optional Practical Training (OPT) page.

To request OPT, students normally file Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with USCIS, which is available at Form I-765.

If lawmakers manage to end or sharply limit OPT, this middle bridge between study and work breaks down for many people.

Step 3: Imagining the Study‑to‑Work Journey If OPT Disappears

If Optional Practical Training ends, the journey changes to something like this:

F‑1 student status → no clear post‑study work period → leave the U.S. → try for H‑1B or other options from abroad

Based on the source material, here’s what students could face:

• No guaranteed U.S. work experience after graduation
• Employers less willing to sponsor H‑1B straight away for fresh graduates
• Immediate departure from the United States once studies and grace period end
• Loss of “U.S. work experience” that often tips hiring decisions in your favor
• Many companies avoiding sponsorship for people they see as “untrained”

You could still try for H‑1B from outside the United States, but competition would likely be tougher, and your chances lower, especially without any U.S. work history.

For STEM students, this is especially damaging because the extra two years of STEM OPT have been one of the main reasons to pick U.S. universities over other countries.

Step 4: Factoring in Possible Future Visas — Don’t Count on Them

Some policymakers and experts have floated ideas that might partly replace OPT, such as:

• A special “U.S. Graduate Work Visa”
• A larger H‑1B cap
• OPT limited only to STEM fields
• Other short practical training visas

However, the source material stresses two key warnings:

• These ideas are predictions, not actual policies
• For students starting in 2025–2026, the system is uncertain

So in your planning, you shouldn’t count on a new visa saving your situation. Treat any future visa changes as a bonus, not the base plan.

Step 5: Mapping the Full Investment: Money, Time, and Goals

Before paying application fees or accepting an admission offer, walk through your full “life plan” for the next decade.

1. Study phase (2–4 years)
   You invest:
   • Heavy tuition and living costs (often ₹60–₹1.2 crore in total)
   • Your early career years
   • Emotional energy, distance from family, and culture shock
2. Post‑study phase in a no‑OPT world
   Ask yourself:
   • If I must leave the U.S. soon after graduation, am I okay with that?
   • Will a U.S. degree alone, without U.S. work experience, still justify the loan or savings?
   • Is my field (especially if not STEM) strong enough globally to pay back the cost?
3. Long‑term career and immigration plans
   The source clearly notes that without OPT:
   • There is a limited path to U.S. immigration
   • H‑1B is still possible but very difficult
   • ROI drops sharply for those counting on U.S. salaries

If your main dream is a U.S. passport or green card, this path becomes very uncertain.

Step 6: Who Should Still Strongly Consider the U.S. Even If OPT Ends

Even in a world without Optional Practical Training, some groups still have strong reasons to choose U.S. study:

• PhD and research students
  They often receive full funding, assistantships, and clear research roles. The financial risk is far lower, and the research benefits are high.

• Students with scholarships or teaching/research assistantships
  When costs drop, risk drops. You’re not betting your whole future on U.S. salaries.

• Students in highly specialized STEM and technical fields
  Such as AI, quantum computing, biotech, aerospace, and cybersecurity. The skills you gain are rare and often wanted worldwide, not just in the United States.

• Students who already plan to return home or work elsewhere
  If you’re happy to build a career in India, China, Europe, Canada 🇨🇦, or the Middle East, the U.S. university brand can still boost your options, even without local U.S. work experience.

For these groups, the journey is more about academic strength, research training, and global mobility, not only about U.S. immigration.

Step 7: Who Should Be Very Careful About a No‑OPT Future

Other groups face much higher risk if OPT disappears or shrinks:

• Students taking large education loans
  Without a realistic chance to earn in U.S. dollars for a few years, loan payback becomes much harder. Your family’s finances may carry heavy stress for a long time.

• Students whose main goal is U.S. immigration
  The source material states clearly: without OPT, long‑term residency options become hard. You may study in the U.S. but end up building your life elsewhere.

• Students in fields with weaker U.S. job markets
  For example, general business, broad engineering majors, or low‑demand fields. If companies are already selective in these areas, they are even less likely to sponsor direct H‑1B from abroad.

If you fall into these groups, treat a U.S. degree as a high‑risk investment unless you have backups.

Step 8: Building Backup Plans from the Start

In a world where OPT could end, build Plan B and Plan C before you book your first flight.

• Alternative destination countries
  • Consider parallel applications to Canada, the UK, or parts of Europe where post‑study work visas may be clearer right now.
• Home‑country career paths
  • Ask: If I return right after graduation with no U.S. work experience, what are my options in India, China, or my own country?
  • Talk to local employers and alumni now, not later.
• Other regions that value U.S. degrees
  • Many employers in Asia, the Gulf, and Europe value U.S. STEM degrees even without OPT. Research where your major is in demand.

These backup plans don’t mean you give up on the United States. They simply protect you if policy shifts break the OPT bridge.

Step 9: A Simple Decision Frame for Families

Use this filter to test your decision.

You can still say YES to the U.S. if:

• You have solid financial stability
• You want the strong brand value of a U.S. degree
• You’re entering a STEM or research‑heavy field
• You’re honestly okay with returning home or working in a third country

You should say NO or BE VERY CAREFUL if:

• Your plan depends strongly on working or settling in the United States
• You’re taking a large loan only because you expect U.S. salaries
• You don’t have backup routes like Canada, the UK, Europe, or good roles at home

The source material puts it plainly: the United States will likely remain a top academic destination, but without OPT it may stop being a top immigration destination for many.

Key takeaway: If the United States remains your first choice for academic strength and research, go prepared. If your main reason is post‑study work and immigration, you must be cautious and build solid backup plans.

Step 10: How to Talk About This Honestly as a Family

Finally, treat this as a serious joint decision:

• Students should share their real dreams about work and immigration
• Parents should share their real fears about loans and money
• Everyone should accept that policy can change, and OPT could be limited or removed

Lay out the full journey from F‑1 admission to possible H‑1B and beyond, then ask: Does this still make sense if OPT ends for my intake? If the answer is yes even in that hard scenario, you’re making a clear, informed choice rather than a blind leap.