The government’s newly announced higher education reform, which proposes banning state universities from enrolling foreign students, could have severe financial consequences for public institutions, experts warn.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated during a parliamentary interpellation that only private universities should accept non-resident students. Referring specifically to the State Medical University, he argued that infrastructure funded by taxpayers should be used exclusively to train Georgian professionals.
However, education specialists say this approach contradicts the financial reality of state universities, many of which rely heavily on tuition from foreign students to fill gaps left by insufficient government funding.
Higher education expert Lika Glonti told BMG that the real aim of the initiative might be to tighten government control over universities by making them fully dependent on state financing.
“Universities accepted foreign students because the funding system is flawed and they lack resources. Some institutions might not have preferred it, but income from foreign students kept many faculties functioning. Banning this would be a very serious blow. I don’t understand how the state plans to compensate for this,” Glonti said.
Foreign student enrollment in Georgia has surged in recent years. In the 2021–2022 academic year, the country hosted 17,500 international students. By 2024–2025, that number had more than doubled to 37,100, with the majority coming from India to study medicine.
Experts warn that removing foreign students from state universities could dramatically reduce revenues and undermine the sustainability of academic programs nationwide.
