Georgia is the eastern European country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Georgia’s boundaries include the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north, Turkey and Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast. This country is known for its culture and accomplishments, and wonderful and scenic views between the mountains and the sea. . It is a study abroad destination of exotic landscape and academic quality. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi. What attracts international students to this country? Read on to know the reasons.

One of the major reasons for international students to select Georgia for higher studies is the fact that the quality of Georgian education is nearly equivalent to that in US, UK, Canada or any other European countries. In other words, the programs offered by Georgian universities are recognized across the globe. Here, education is delivered in university, teaching university and colleges. All higher education institutions are mandatorily authorized and assessed for quality by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. This assessment ensures that quality education is delivered to the students.

Overall, Georgia is an ideal getaway as a study abroad higher education destination.

Georgia is a small country of 4.5 million people in a territory that is 69 000 square km. It is situated in between the Black and Caspian seas in the South Caucasus. It regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Shortly afterwards it went through the turmoil of a civil war and conflicts in two separatist regions – Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The economy of the country dramatically fell in the early nineties which led to Georgia often being referred to as failed state at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

After the Rose Revolution in 2003, Georgia made substantial progress in economic reforms, service provision and the fight against corruption and organised crime. The centralised power and decision making processes were effective for implementing reforms with quick results in the short term, but much less effective in building sustainable institutions and alleviating poverty. Radical reforms to liberalise the economy and improve fiscal discipline resulted in economic growth. Growth has enabled investments in public services, primarily benefiting urban areas, while poverty continues to be deep and widespread in the countryside. Overall poverty in Georgia has decreased from by 3,8% to 24,7% between 2003 and 2009 while poverty in rural areas decreased only by 2,3% and is now around 30% despite over 4 years of strong economic growth according to a World Bank report. The gap between urban and rural areas has widened since the Rose Revolution in 2003 and rural areas have now about 64% of Georgia’s poor despite accounting for less than half of the population.

n response to the crisis the Government of Georgia adopted a strategic document that defines the main objectives for 2010-2013 as: “United Georgia without poverty” with peaceful conflict resolution, Euro-Atlantic Integration, employment and infrastructure rehabilitation as the top priorities. Deeper integration with EU is a strategic goal which includes multiple challenges including consolidation of democracy, institutional, economic and political reforms and making development socially and environmentally sustainable.

The Government has launched several regional development initiatives in recent years to improve local infrastructure and is also trying to promote sustainable tourism in promising regions.

The main grading systems used in institutions are a scale from 0-10 or 1-100 for examinations. Georgia has twenty-four state higher education institutions and their fourteen branches. Till date, 80+ private higher education institutions have passed the accreditation process. A few reputed Georgian state universities are Akaki Tsereteli State University, American University of Humanities- Georgia, David Tvildiani Medical University-Georgia, New Vision University, Tbilisi State University, University of Georgia etc. These and other universities provide degrees at bachelor, master’s and doctoral level along with scientific research. The teaching universities are permitted to offer higher education bachelor and master’s programs, and educational master’s programs while colleges are permitted to offer only basic bachelor degree programs.

The higher educational institutes offer degrees in 300+ disciplines like arts- theater, painting, sculpture, science and technology subjects- metallurgy, cableway and railway transport, chemical, food technology, winemaking, business, tourism, social science, medicine, maritime etc. Courses are taught in English and Russian and international students can choose English provided they can prove their reading and writing proficiency.

The Tbilisi State University was established in1918 and offers degrees in science, technology, humanities, law, political sciences, business, economics, medicine etc. It has more than 60 scientific research labs and a science library. The Georgian Technical University set up in 1922 is one of the largest schools in Georgia. It offers programs like civil, mechanical, and power engineering, mining, geology, urban planning, transportation etc. Gori University, established recently in 1998 is known for programs in education and science. Batumi State Maritime University was set up to focus professional skills in marine fleet and transportation.

The tuition fee, hostel fee and living expenses in Georgia are quite low. Government scholarships are available even for international students. You may wonder how student life in Georgia, especially for international students is. They are welcomed, very well treated and there is no racial discrimination. University has a strong support system for study abroad in Georgia for foreign students. The students are introduced to traditional folk dance, music, and cuisine. This brings in a sense of bonding and makes the international students comfortable. If students need for additional financial support, they can take up a job while studying. This depends on the student’s capability.

Government themselves gives assistance for employment in georgia through websites like employ Georgia.

In 2008-09, Georgia was hit with the twin crises of the August 2008 armed conflict with Russia followed by the global economic downturn. Investor and consumer confidence deteriorated and foreign direct investment, exports, remittances, and bank lending contracted. Economic growth had been in excess of 9% between 2005 and mid-2008, but fell sharply to 2.3% in 2008 and contracted by 3.8% in 2009. With income per head at $2,690 (GNI 2010,) Georgia ranks as a lower middle-income country. With the economic recovery, prospects for job creation and poverty reduction have improved. The official unemployment rate has begun to fall from a peak of 17% in 2009 to 15% in 2011. Still, close to a quarter of Georgia’s population is poor (24.7% in poverty, 2009.)

Recent trends show a steady improvement in Georgia’s health indicators. The Government is in the midst of a major health reform that includes greater private provision of services, a Medical Insurance Program (MIP)—subsidized for the poorest, and expanded, publicly-funded health insurance for the elderly and children under 5. A high level of private spending remains a challenge for the sector.

Agriculture remains an important sector in Georgia given that over 50 % of the population lives and works on agricultural land and agriculture contributes to about 25 % of exports. However, the share of agriculture in total GDP has declined significantly (from 25 % in 1999 to about 8.4 % in 2010). Issues contributing to reduced agricultural productivity and investments include: fragmentation of land, high transport costs, poor roads connectivity to markets, and a generally degraded rural infrastructure.

The culture of Georgia has evolved over the country’s long history, providing it with a unique

Tourism can drive significant business growth and increase revenue for companies operating in Georgia. A $49 billion industry for the state, the gem of the south enjoys a proven, commercial appeal of southern sensibilities and modern possibilities. Plus, Georgia’s business-friendly climate that is home to 14 Fortune 500 headquarters enables companies beginning business or expanding business in Georgia to drive profits with less risk.

With metro Atlanta’s booming population leading the country, world-class attractions, easy access to swelling consumer markets, smart tax incentives, moderate climate, long travel season, and the top-ranked airport and highway system in the nation, tourism-related companies are able to leverage Georgia’s powerful attraction for in-state and out-of-state visitors to increase sales.

The climate of Georgia is typical of a humid subtropical climate with most of the state having mild winters and hot summers. The Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of Georgia and the hill country in the north impact the state’s climate. The climate in Georgia is a major reason so many people continue to move to the state. While climate varies among the state’s six land regions, all areas of the state are colored by four well-defined seasons:

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