TBILISI, August 6. /Dunyo IA/. Starting from the 2026–2027 academic year, Higher Education for students at state universities in Georgia will become fully free of charge, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the First Channel of Georgia, alongside the abolition of tuition fees, Government is introducing mechanisms aimed at improving students’ academic performance and increasing their engagement in the educational process.

As the head of government noted, if a student fails to pass two academic subjects during a semester, this will be considered insufficient participation in the educational process. In such a case, starting from the third semester, the amount of state funding allocated for the student’s education will be reduced.

According to Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, the new system has a single objective - to motivate students to take a more responsible approach to their studies and maintain a high level of academic performance. He emphasized that, for the first time in Georgia’s history, education at state universities will become fully free of charge.

According to the National Statistics Service of Georgia (Geostat), as of the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year, there were 64 higher education institutions operating in the country, including 19 state and 45 private institutions. The total number of students stands at 195.4 thousand, with 55.3 percent of them studying at state universities.

Experts note that the decision to introduce free higher education at state universities in Georgia is aimed at increasing access to education and developing human capital. At the same time, the authorities intend to maintain high academic standards by linking state funding with students’ academic performance and active participation in the educational process.