Federal Updates

The $100k fee to file certain H-1B petitions, proclaimed by the federal government on September 19, 2025, is not in effect at this time.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a federal rule change July 17 that ends the longstanding “duration of status” (D/S) rule for international students and scholars. The rule is effective September 15.

Monday was the comment deadline for the Office of Management and Budget’s Proposed Regulation on Federal Financial Assistance, which would make broad and significant changes to federal research administration. UW–Madison joined nearly 500,000 other individuals and entities in submitting public comments to the proposal.

On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down the federal government’s $100,000 H-1B payment policy as unlawful.

Vice Chancellor Dorota Brzezinska shared a message with the campus research community regarding the Office of Management and Budget’s recently proposed changes to uniform guidance. 

The Office of Student Financial Aid has created a webpage to share updates and resources on changing rules around federal student loan borrowing.

An update on UW–Madison’s participation in legal challenges to prevent wrongful funding cuts, grant terminations and delays.

On March 31, a federal judge blocked an executive order from last year that prohibited federal funding of PBS and NPR. This ruling ultimately reaffirms the rights of a free and independent press. This ruling does not reverse the rescission vote by Congress that removed federal funding for public media.

International Student Services provides a summary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed federal rule change to end “duration of status” (D/S) for nonimmigrants granted entry to the U.S. in F, J, or I status. Duration of status refers to the period of lawful stay a nonimmigrant in F, J, or I status is granted upon entry to the U.S. on the Form I-94. (The I nonimmigrant visa status is not a visa type sponsored by UW-Madison.)

Earlier this year, two cases challenging the Feb. 14, 2025 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) and related directives were dismissed following the government’s withdrawal of its appeal and agreement to not enforce directives in the DCL. The government dismissal of the appeal does not impact UW–Madison’s current guidance.