Georgia to Make Public University Free for Citizens — While Restricting New International Students

TBILISI — The country of Georgia will make public university education fully free for Georgian nationals starting with the 2026-27 academic year, Education Minister Givi Mikanadze announced, while simultaneously barring most public universities from admitting new international students except under narrow exceptions such as bilateral government agreements and programs like Erasmus+.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said foreign students in medical programs alone brought more than $450 million into the Georgian economy in 2024, underscoring the scale of the sector being restructured. The government frames the change as reallocating public resources toward Georgian citizens, though the policy does not apply uniformly — some institutions, including Tbilisi State Medical University, continue accepting international applicants for now, creating a confusing transition period for prospective foreign students.