Georgian Government to Set Limits on Foreign Student Enrolment at Public and Private Universities

The Georgian government plans to introduce enrolment limits for foreign students at both public and private higher education institutions, according to a draft amendment to the Law on Education submitted to Parliament by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Under the proposed amendments, the government will determine the maximum number of foreign citizens and stateless persons that each higher education institution may admit, as well as the frequency of admissions and the applicable study conditions.

The new Article 6 Prima of the law states:

“The maximum number of foreign citizens/stateless persons to be enrolled by higher education institutions, the periodicity of enrolment, as well as the rules and conditions of study, shall be determined by a decree of the Government of Georgia.”

The explanatory note accompanying the bill acknowledges that the changes will have implications for both public and private universities.

According to the document, government regulation of enrolment quotas and admission schedules could directly affect university revenues, particularly at institutions where international students represent a significant share of the student population.

Official data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia show that during the 2024/2025 academic year, a total of 37,125 foreign students were enrolled in public and private higher education institutions and vocational colleges across the country.

Of this total:

• 5,621 foreign students were enrolled in undergraduate programmes;
• 31,486 foreign students were enrolled in master's programmes;
• 18 foreign students were admitted to vocational education programmes.

The explanatory note emphasizes that tuition fees paid by international students often constitute a major source of income for universities. As a result, any reduction in enrolment quotas or restrictions on admission periods could have an impact on the financial sustainability of higher education institutions.

The specific quotas will be determined by the government after Parliament adopts the proposed legislation. It remains unclear whether current levels of international student admissions will be maintained or whether the government intends to reduce the number of foreign students, particularly at private universities.