Study and find schools in Georgia

Studying in Georgia

Georgia, at the meeting point of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, has become a growing destination for international students, especially in medicine. According to Study in Georgia, the official portal of the Ministry of Education, the country has 64 higher education institutions with more than 150,000 students, of whom more than 30,000 are international students. Georgian is the main language of teaching, but the portal lists 243 higher education programmes taught in English.

Georgia has been a full member of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area since 2005, so its degrees follow the familiar European three-cycle structure with ECTS credits. Most international students choose Tbilisi, the capital, where all three Georgian schools in our directory are based.

The education system in Georgia

Higher education has three levels, and one academic year is worth about 60 ECTS credits:

• Bachelor's degree: usually 240 ECTS credits (180 in some fields, such as arts, business and administration)
• One-cycle programmes: Medicine (360 ECTS, Medical Doctor), Dentistry (300 ECTS, Doctor of Dental Medicine), Veterinary medicine (300 ECTS) and integrated teacher training
• Master's degree: usually 120 ECTS credits (60 in some business programmes, such as the EMBA)
• Doctorate: at least three years

Programmes and institutions are quality-assured by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), which authorises institutions and accredits programmes. NCEQE is a member of European quality-assurance and recognition networks, and in October 2026 it announced that its registration on the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) had been restored. Students should check that their institution is authorised and the programme accredited, especially for regulated professions such as medicine.

Universities include large public institutions such as Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), the country's oldest university, Ilia State University and Georgian Technical University, as well as private institutions such as Caucasus University, whose Caucasus School of Business was established in 1998, and Grigol Robakidze University.

Admission and recognition

Georgian applicants enter bachelor's programmes through the Unified National Examinations and master's programmes through the Common Master's Exams. Foreign citizens follow a different route and do not sit these exams. At TSU, for example, the procedure is:

• apply to the university with the required documents
• the faculty reviews the documents and may set an exam or interview; English-taught programmes require an English language certificate
• the university issues a letter of consent
• the applicant asks NCEQE to recognise their school-leaving or degree certificates
• after recognition, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth issues a decree and the student signs a contract with the university

The Study in Georgia portal summarises the same steps: choose a programme, contact the university's international office, contact NCEQE, then apply for a visa. Recognition of foreign education is handled by NCEQE, which checks the authenticity of the foreign document and its compatibility with Georgian qualifications.

Student visa and residence

Many nationalities can enter Georgia without a visa for short stays, and the Study in Georgia portal lists visa-free regimes as an advantage. For long-term study at an authorised institution, foreign citizens are issued an immigration visa of category D3, valid for 90 days with multiple entries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides on immigration visas within 30 calendar days. The main documents are:

• the online visa application form, passport, photo and consular fee receipt
• an acceptance letter or other proof of study from an authorised higher education institution
• proof of sufficient funds for the trip and the stay
• proof of accommodation in Georgia
• health insurance

Students already legally in Georgia can apply for the D3 visa to the House of Justice (State Services Development Agency) no later than 45 days before their legal stay ends. Full and current rules are on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular site, geoconsul.gov.ge (information checked in October 2026).

Costs

Each university sets its own tuition fees, and fees for international students are usually published on the university's own site; TSU and Caucasus University, for example, publish tuition fee pages. The portal names affordable tuition and living costs among Georgia's advantages, but it does not publish official fee ranges, so compare the fees of each programme, and budget for health insurance and visa costs.

Where to study in Georgia

Tbilisi has the largest concentration of universities, including TSU, Ilia State University, Georgian Technical University, Caucasus University and Grigol Robakidze University. The national list of institutions also includes universities in other cities, such as Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University on the Black Sea coast and Akaki Tsereteli State University.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study in English in Georgia?

Yes. The official Study in Georgia portal lists 243 higher education programmes taught in English, including medicine. English-taught programmes ask for an English language certificate.

Do international students have to take the Georgian national exams?

No. Foreign citizens are admitted without the Unified National Examinations or the Common Master's Exams, through the university's own review and recognition of their documents by NCEQE.

What visa do I need to study in Georgia?

For long-term study you need a D3 immigration visa, issued for 90 days with multiple entries. You need an acceptance letter from an authorised institution, proof of funds and accommodation, and health insurance.

Are Georgian degrees recognised in Europe?

Georgia has been part of the Bologna Process since 2005 and uses ECTS credits. Recognition for a regulated profession still depends on the rules of the country where you want to work.