Education Minister: tuition will be fully covered for all students enrolled in Georgia’s state universities

Georgia will fully fund the tuition of all students enrolled in state universities starting in 2026, making higher education free for them, Education Minister Givi Mikandadze announced on Thursday.

Mikandadze said that students already enrolled, whether in public or private universities, will continue to receive funding under the current model. The shift beginning in 2026, he noted, reflects a long-declared strategy to prioritise and strengthen state universities within the broader higher education reform.

“From the moment the national reform of the higher education system was announced, we have repeatedly highlighted that the main focus is on state universities,” he said.

“State universities must fulfil state mandates based on market research and national needs. Accordingly, the main funding resources will be mobilised with this principle in mind. This is not new information. Private universities were informed from the start that the new funding model would apply exclusively to state institutions”, Mikandadze added.

Under the new framework, students enrolling in private universities from next academic year onward will no longer receive state grants. Mikandadze clarified that this restriction will not affect current second-, third-, or fourth-year students, nor those already enrolled in master’s programs; their existing funding arrangements will remain in force.

The Minister also outlined upcoming limitations concerning foreign students. Starting next year, state universities will face restrictions on admitting international applicants.

“To implement this, legislative amendments are planned, according to which state universities will, except in special cases, no longer be able to admit foreign students,” Mikandadze said.

Exceptions will include bilateral agreements, exchange initiatives, and specific academic programs established through international partnerships. He stressed that international students will still have full access to Georgia’s private universities.

“Of the 64 higher education institutions operating today, only 19 are state universities and 45 are private. Foreign students will be able to choose freely among private institutions and continue their studies in their preferred programmes,” Mikandadze added.