English-taught bachelor's programmes at private universities in Tbilisi cost $4,200–5,500 a year, master's programmes $4,000–5,000, medicine $5,900–8,000, and TSMU's American MD $13,500. Georgian-taught study at a state university is the cheapest: Tbilisi State University's standard fee is $430 (GEL 1,125) per semester. On top of tuition you pay for recognition of your certificate from $15 (GEL 40), a study residence permit from $120 (GEL 300) and living costs — Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy estimates a student's monthly spending in Tbilisi at $415–980. A year of an English-taught bachelor's plus living costs in Tbilisi comes to roughly $9,200–17,300.
| Cost item | Amount | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| English-taught bachelor's | $4,200–5,500 a year | university |
| English-taught medicine | $5,900–8,000 a year; TSMU's American MD $13,500 | university |
| Russian-taught medicine (TSMU) | $5,000 a year | university |
| English-taught master's | $4,000–5,000 a year | university |
| Recognition of certificate or degree | $15–96 (GEL 40–250) depending on speed | NCEQE |
| Study residence permit | $120–230 (GEL 300–600) depending on speed | Public Service Development Agency |
| Living in Tbilisi | $415–980 a month (Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy estimate) | market |
Bachelor's tuition
Universities publish international fees in US dollars per academic year. Rates for the 2026/27 intake from official websites, checked on 30 September 2026:
| University | Programme | Per year | Length | Whole programme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caucasus University | business administration, computer science, cybersecurity | $5,500 | 3–4 years | $16,500–22,000 |
| Caucasus University | economics, architecture, design, psychology, international relations | $5,000 | 3–4 years | $15,000–20,000 |
| Black Sea International University | all English-taught programmes | $4,900, scholarship up to $1,000 | mostly 3–4 years | from $14,700 before scholarship |
| Georgian American University | business administration | $4,500 | 3 years | $13,500 |
| Georgian American University | computer science, IT management | $4,200 | 3 years | $12,600 |
| TSU | Georgian-taught programmes, standard fee | $860 (GEL 2,250) | 4 years | $3,450 (GEL 9,000) |
Georgian bachelor's degrees run for three years (180 ECTS) or four (240 ECTS); the law lets universities design programmes of 180 credits. Compare the length as well as the annual fee: a three-year programme at $5,500 a year costs less than a four-year one at $5,000.
TSU publishes a single fee for its programmes — $430 (GEL 1,125) per semester, payable in instalments. If you are a foreign student on a Georgian-taught programme, confirm the amount with admissions: TSMU, for example, charges foreigners a separate $4,000 a year for Georgian-taught medicine. If you do not speak Georgian, add a preparatory language year and, from 2027/28, the NAEC state-language exam.
Medical tuition
Six years of medicine are the largest item in any budget. Annual fees in the examples we verified:
| University and programme | Per year | Six years |
|---|---|---|
| TSMU, American MD | $13,500 | $81,000 |
| TSU or TSMU, English-taught | $8,000 | $48,000 |
| Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, English-taught | $7,000 | $42,000 plus a $300 registration fee |
| Georgian American University | $6,480 | $38,880 |
| Caucasus University | $6,000 | $36,000 |
| Black Sea International University | $5,900, scholarship up to $500 | $35,400 before scholarship |
| TSMU, Russian-taught | $5,000 | $30,000 |
TSU splits the annual medical fee into two semester payments of $4,000. For language streams and recognition, see studying medicine in Georgia.
Master's tuition
| University | Programme | Per year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caucasus University | business administration, IT management | $5,000 | 2 years, 120 ECTS |
| Georgian American University | MBA | $4,000 | 2 years, 120 ECTS |
| Georgian American University | Executive MBA | $4,500 | 1 year, 60 ECTS |
| Georgian American University | IT Governance & Strategy, Cyber & Information Security | $4,200 | 2 years, 120 ECTS |
A two-year master's costs $8,000–10,000 in tuition alone. Caucasus University's PhD programmes cost $5,000 a year. See master's degrees in Georgia for admission details.
Compulsory costs beyond tuition
| Payment | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| NCEQE recognition of certificate or degree | $15 (GEL 40) for one month; $31, $46 or $96 (GEL 80, 120 or 250) for 15, 5 or 1 working day(s) | before enrolment |
| Postal delivery of the NCEQE decision | $2 (GEL 5) | optional |
| Notarised Georgian translation of documents | at the translator's and notary's rates; some universities include it in a non-refundable application fee | before recognition |
| University registration fee | for example, a one-off $300 at Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy | at enrolment |
| Place reservation | for example, $2,100 at the same academy | before enrolment is confirmed |
| Health insurance on entry | a policy for the whole stay with cover of at least $11,520 (GEL 30,000) | before entry |
| Study residence permit | $120 (GEL 300) for 30 days, $170 (GEL 450) for 20 days, $230 (GEL 600) for 10 days | at least 40 days before your legal stay ends |
| Language certificate or NAEC exam | at the test provider's rates; mandatory for admission from 2027/28 | before applying |
For the residence permit you must also show funds: legal income or money in a personal bank account of at least twice the subsistence minimum per month for the permit's validity. The National Statistics Office of Georgia publishes the subsistence minimum; the latest figure in its annual table for an average consumer is $96 (GEL 250.95) (December 2025). That means about $190 (GEL 502) in the account for each month of the permit, or roughly $2,310 (GEL 6,023) for a one-year permit. The minimum is recalculated, so check the latest value on the Geostat website before filing.
Living costs in Tbilisi
We do not quote averaged rents from crowd-sourced databases: they vary widely by district, season and whether you share. A first-party benchmark comes from Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy's page for international students:
| Item | Per month |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: dormitory or apartment | $250–600 |
| Food and groceries | $100–200 |
| Transport | $15–30 |
| Personal expenses | $50–150 |
| Total | $415–980 |
This estimate does not transfer directly to Batumi or Kutaisi; ask your university's admissions office about dormitory prices and how students usually rent. The first months cost more: a rental deposit, household items, insurance and document translations all fall due at once.
What a year costs: three scenarios
Each scenario combines a university's published annual fee with the Tbilisi living-cost estimate from Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy for 12 months ($4,980–11,760). One-off first-year payments are excluded.
| Scenario | Tuition | Living | Total per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business bachelor's at GAU | $4,500 | $4,980–11,760 | $9,480–16,260 |
| Russian-taught medicine at TSMU | $5,000 | $4,980–11,760 | $9,980–16,760 |
| English-taught medicine at TSU | $8,000 | $4,980–11,760 | $12,980–19,760 |
The lower bound assumes a shared flat or dormitory and modest spending; the upper bound a private apartment. For planning, use the middle of the range and keep a reserve for the first three months.
Discounts and scholarships
None of the international student pages we checked offered tuition-free places, so plan to pay in full. Some universities offer discounts: Black Sea International University lists scholarships of up to $1,000 a year for bachelor's students and up to $500 for medicine. Ask how the discount is kept before signing: at Caucasus University, for example, the grant for local students is retained only with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. For funding options in other countries, see scholarships abroad in 2026.
How and when to pay
Universities usually split the annual fee into two semester payments. TSU completes administrative registration if there is no debt from the previous period and at least half of the current semester's fee is paid on time; the rest can be paid in instalments on request. Caucasus University issues the enrolment letter only after tuition is paid, so you need the money at the admission stage.
University invoices in dollars or lari are paid by bank transfer. Russian-issued bank cards do not work abroad, so students from Russia should work out the transfer route before enrolment; see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia. If your contract is in lari, the dollar cost will move with the exchange rate.
Common budgeting mistakes
- Comparing annual fees without programme length. A three-year bachelor's can cost less than a four-year one even at a higher annual rate.
- Forgetting one-off university charges. At Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy the registration fee and place reservation total $2,400 before classes start, about a third of a year's tuition; ask whether the reservation counts towards tuition.
- Budgeting at the lowest living-cost figure. The first month, with a deposit and insurance, costs more than an average one.
- Counting on part-time work. Since 1 March 2026, foreigners need a work permit, including for remote work.
- Ignoring repeated courses. A student who earns no more than one-third of the year's credits has their status suspended and puts the residence permit at risk, and repeated study is paid separately.
- Paying before your certificate is recognised. If NCEQE refuses recognition, there will be no enrolment.
FAQ
For the 2026/27 intake, English-taught tuition at private universities costs $4,200–5,500 a year for a bachelor's and $5,900–8,000 for medicine. Adding Tbilisi living costs of $415–980 a month (Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy estimate), a bachelor's student needs roughly $9,200–17,300 a year and a medical student about $10,000–20,000.
None of the international student pages we checked offered free places, so plan to pay full tuition. Some universities give discounts: Black Sea International University offers up to $1,000 a year for bachelor's students and up to $500 for medicine. Keeping a discount usually depends on academic performance.
Most universities that recruit internationally set a separate dollar rate for foreign students. Caucasus University, for example, has two tables: a general one in lari and a separate one in dollars on its international student page. Check the currency of your contract before signing, because it determines your exchange-rate risk.
NCEQE's standard recognition procedure costs $15 (GEL 40) and takes a month. Fast-track options cost $31 (GEL 80) for 15 working days, $46 (GEL 120) for 5 days and $96 (GEL 250) for 1 working day. Notarised Georgian translations of your certificate and passport are paid separately.
The study residence permit fee depends on processing time: $120 (GEL 300) for 30 days, $170 (GEL 450) for 20 days and $230 (GEL 600) for 10 days. The agency also checks that you have funds: at least twice the subsistence minimum per month for the permit's validity.
At TSMU, for the 2026/27 intake, the Russian stream costs $5,000 a year and the English stream $8,000, a difference of $18,000 over six years. But the Russian stream exists only at TSMU, while 24 institutions teach in English, some for $5,900–6,480 a year. Compare six-year totals including housing.
Sources
- University fees: TSU tuition, TSU English-taught medicine, TSMU programmes and fees, Caucasus University bachelor's, master's, PhD, general fees in lari and how to apply, GAU, Black Sea International University, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy: fees and living costs — checked 30 Sep 2026
- NCEQE: recognition of foreign education, fees and timelines, Georgia's education system — checked 30 Sep 2026
- Public Service Development Agency: study residence permit, National Statistics Office of Georgia: subsistence minimum — checked 30 Sep 2026
- Government of Georgia Decree No. 602 of 26 Dec 2025 on compulsory insurance for arrivals, Embassy of Georgia to Norway: insurance policy requirements on entry, Embassy of Georgia to Japan: the work permit requirement — checked 30 Sep 2026
- Government of Georgia Resolution No. 437 of 8 Sep 2026 — checked 30 Sep 2026
- National Bank of Georgia: official exchange rate. GEL amounts are converted at the rate set on 29 Sep 2026 (valid from 30 Sep 2026): $1 = GEL 2.6051; amounts under $100 are rounded to the dollar, larger ones to the nearest $10. Dollar-denominated university fees are not converted.
Budget planning for your shortlisted programmes, document preparation and support with paying the university's invoice are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Tuition and discounts are set by the university, recognition fees by NCEQE, and residence permit fees by Georgia's Public Service Development Agency.
Next steps
- Scholarships abroad 2026: where international students study for free
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Master's Degrees in Georgia for International Students: English-Taught Programmes, Requirements and Fees
- Studying Medicine in Georgia: Medical Universities, Fees, Language and Recognition
