Georgian State Universities Halt Admissions for Foreign Students

The Minister of Education of Georgia has announced that Georgian state universities will no longer accept foreign students starting from the next academic year. Private universities will continue to operate as usual.

According to the minister, the share of foreign students in several state universities has reached nearly 50% of the total admissions. He cited Tbilisi State Medical University as an example. However, the minister believes that state institutions should primarily serve the interests of the country's citizens.

"We need to focus on the quality education of Georgian citizens... Therefore, from now on, state universities will no longer accept foreign students. Those who study here pay several times more than Georgian citizens. We are advising private universities: here are foreign students; you can focus on them," the minister explained.

Statistics show the scale of the changes:

• In the 2024/25 academic year, the total number of students in Georgia has reached a record 187.8 thousand.
• The increase is attributed to foreigners, whose number has risen to 37.1 thousand, which is 21% more than the previous year.
• 85% of international students studied at private universities, primarily in medical and master's programs.
• In just three years, the number of foreigners has doubled, rising from 17.5 thousand in the 2021/22 academic year.

The new decision fundamentally changes the admissions policy and is likely to have a significant impact on the economy of state universities, many of which are heavily reliant on the high fees charged to international students.