Students enrolled in higher education before 2026 will retain the right to compete for state grants or improve their funding levels through the 2030–2031 academic year, according to a new order issued by Education Minister Givi Mikhanadze. This means that students admitted last year will be able to participate annually in grant competitions and potentially increase their financial support.
The updated regulation introduces changes to the “Unified National Examinations Regulations,” allowing students enrolled before December 17, 2025, to take part in state-organized grant competitions until the 2030–2031 academic year. To qualify, students must sit a general skills exam covering reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.
Under the revised rules, students who already receive partial funding can increase their grant if they achieve a higher result in the competition, replacing their previous funding level. However, they will lose entitlement to the earlier grant amount once upgraded.
The ministry also clarified that students who previously earned but did not use a grant may only be included in ranking lists after verification through the Education Management Information System. Meanwhile, from the 2026–2027 academic year, public universities will become tuition-free for all newly admitted students, while private universities will remain fee-based and no longer receive state funding for those enrolled after 2026.
