Overview
Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU) is Georgia's largest and oldest specialist medical university. Medical teaching started in 1918 as a faculty of Tbilisi State University, and it became a separate institute in 1930. It runs its own group of university clinics, including a general clinic, a children's hospital and dental clinics.
International students study in the International Faculty of Medicine and Stomatology. The English-medium Medical Doctor (MD) programme is six years long. The university lists the fee as USD 8,000 a year. The English MD has been taught since 1996, according to the WHO-linked World Directory of Medical Schools.
There is one big caution for 2026. Georgia's government said in December 2025 that state universities would stop admitting new foreign students. In September 2026 news reports said no foreign students were admitted to state universities for 2026–27. TSMU's own website still shows a notice that admission for the 2026/2027 autumn intake is open. Families must get written confirmation from the university, and check the latest government position, before paying anything.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1918 (medical teaching began at Tbilisi State University; separate institute from 1930) |
| Type | Public (state) medical university |
| City | Tbilisi, Georgia (Saburtalo district) |
| Degree awarded | Medical Doctor (MD), one-cycle programme |
| Duration | 6 years (360 ECTS), with the internship placed in year 6 |
| Medium | English (International Faculty of Medicine and Stomatology); Russian and Georgian tracks also exist |
| Intake | Autumn (September–October). New foreign admissions to state universities were halted for 2026–27 |
| NEET-UG | Required by Indian rules for anyone who wants to practise in India later |
| WDOMS listing | Listed as Tbilisi State Medical University Faculty of Medicine (F0001542) |
| Tuition per year | USD 8,000 (English-medium MD, university fee page) |
| Accommodation per year | About USD 2,000+ (our estimate for a shared private flat; no university hostel fee published) |
| Ranking | Not in the QS or THE World University Rankings; THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026: 1001–1500 |
Address: Administrative Building, 33 Vazha-Pshavela Avenue, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
Highlights
- Georgia's largest medical university, with medical teaching dating back to 1918
- Own university clinics: First University Clinic, Givi Zhvania Paediatric University Clinic, mental health and dental clinics
- English-medium MD at USD 8,000 a year, plus an American MD programme at USD 13,500 a year
- Clinical Skills and Multidisciplinary Simulation Centre on campus
- 703 TSMU graduates sat the FMGE in 2024, the most of any Georgian university, with a pass rate of about 31%
- State university: new foreign admissions were halted for 2026–27, so confirm the current position in writing
Courses offered
- Medical Doctor (MD), English medium, International Faculty of Medicine and Stomatology
- Medical Doctor (MD), Russian medium
- American MD programme (English medium, separate fee)
- Medical Doctor (MD), Georgian medium
- Dental Medicine (English, Russian and Georgian medium)
- Pharmacy (English medium)
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (English medium)
- Public Health, master's and doctoral programmes, and a nine-month preparatory course
For Indian students the main programme is the Medical Doctor (MD), English-medium, taught in English over 6 years.
Facilities
University clinics
TSMU runs its own clinics: the First University Clinic, the Givi Zhvania Paediatric University Clinic, the A. Urushadze Dental Clinic, a Dental University Clinic, a Mental Health University Clinic, and the Ingorokva High Medical Technology University Clinic.
Clinical skills and simulation
The Clinical Skills and Multidisciplinary Simulation Centre is used for practical training before and alongside clinical rotations. Georgia's rules say students build basic clinical skills in such centres during the first three years.
Library
The university library serves students across all faculties. TSMU also publishes a scientific e-journal and runs online continuing medical education courses.
Research institutes and centres
The university has several scientific research institutions and university centres, and it hosts an AMEE international networking centre for medical education.
International links
TSMU takes part in Erasmus+ exchanges with medical universities across Europe, including partners in Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain.
Accommodation
TSMU's international pages do not list a university hostel or hostel fee. Most international students rent shared flats in the Saburtalo area near the campus.
Why choose Tbilisi State Medical University?
- A long-established state medical university with a large teaching staff and its own clinics
- English-medium MD with a published fee of USD 8,000 a year
- Clinical teaching in university-owned hospitals, including a children's hospital
- Listed in WDOMS, and its English MD is accredited by Georgia's NCEQE, an agency recognised by the WFME
- Large Indian student community in Saburtalo, so seniors and Indian food are easy to find
- Good transport links in Tbilisi, with buses and the metro serving Saburtalo
Eligibility criteria
- NEET-UG qualified (score valid for 3 years), as required by Indian rules for a foreign medical course
- Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English; at least 50% in PCB (40% for SC, ST and OBC; 45% for general PwBD)
- B1-level certificate in the language of the programme (English for the English MD), as listed on TSMU's admissions page
- Online interview with the university, then an offer letter
- At least 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year
- Admission depends on Georgia's rules for that year: new foreign entry to state universities was halted for 2026–27
Admission process
- Email the TSMU admissions office and ask in writing whether it is admitting new foreign students for your intake.
- Send the application with your passport, Class 12 certificate and B1 English certificate (plus birth certificate and parent's passport if you are under 18).
- Attend the online interview on Zoom and receive the offer letter.
- Have all documents translated into Georgian and notarised (two original copies) and submit them to Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) for recognition.
- Wait for the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth order that allows you to enrol without national exams.
- Pay the first-year fee only to the university's official bank account and keep the receipt.
- Apply for the D3 study visa, travel to Tbilisi, enrol, and apply for a residence permit before the visa period ends.
Fee structure
| Tuition (USD) | Hostel (USD) | Approx. in rupees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Each year (Years 1–6)Tuition is the university's published fee for the English-medium MD. Accommodation is our estimate for a shared private flat; TSMU publishes no hostel fee. | US$8,000 | US$2,000 | ≈ ₹9.2 lakh |
| Estimated total (6 years) | US$60,000 | ≈ ₹55.2 lakh | |
TSMU's fee page lists USD 8,000 a year for the English-medium MD, USD 5,000 for the Russian-medium MD and USD 13,500 for the American MD. The page does not say which intake the fees apply to, or whether they stay the same for all six years. Ask for a written six-year fee schedule. The nine-month preparatory course costs USD 2,000. Rent, food, visas, residence permits and insurance are extra. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want the official fee letter?Our counsellor will share the current fee schedule for Tbilisi State Medical University and a budget in rupees.
Recognition and accreditation
- World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)Listed as Tbilisi State Medical University Faculty of Medicine, school ID F0001542. The English-language medical programme started in 1996.
- National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), GeorgiaWDOMS records the English-language medical programme as accredited by the NCEQE on 8 July 2015. The NCEQE is recognised by the WFME. Check the current accreditation status with the NCEQE.
- ECFMG (USA)WDOMS shows graduates as eligible for ECFMG certification (graduation years 1953 to current), which is needed for the USMLE route.
- National Medical Commission (NMC), IndiaThe NMC does not approve foreign universities. Each graduate must meet the FMGL Regulations, 2021. In its reply to a grievance dated 24 September 2026, the NMC said Georgian 'junior doctor' status meets its licence rule (Regulation 4(b)) only if it legally allows practice at the required level. No NMC notice we found names TSMU.
- Government of GeorgiaIn December 2025 the education minister said state universities would stop admitting foreign students except in cases set by law. Reports in September 2026 said no foreign students were admitted to state universities for 2026–27.
NMC eligibility depends on you, not only the university
Teaching hospitals
- TSMU First University Clinic
- Givi Zhvania Paediatric University Clinic of TSMU
- TSMU Mental Health University Clinic
- TSMU and Ingorokva High Medical Technology University Clinic
- TSMU A. Urushadze Dental Clinic and TSMU Dental University Clinic
Hostel and campus life
The main campus is on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue in Saburtalo, a busy residential district with shops, cafes and a metro line to the city centre. TSMU's international pages do not list a hostel, so most Indian students share rented flats near the campus, often found through seniors. Indian restaurants and private mess services are common in Saburtalo. Classes are demanding, and from the clinical years students meet Georgian-speaking patients, so the Georgian language classes in the programme matter. Tbilisi winters are cold, so check heating costs before you sign a rent agreement.
Cost of living in Tbilisi
| Per month | In USD | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Shared flat or roomNumbeo lists a one-bedroom flat outside the centre at about USD 450 (October 2026); sharing brings it down | US$180–400per month | ≈ ₹16,560 – ₹36,800 |
| Food and groceriesLower if you cook; an Indian mess costs more | US$120–220per month | ≈ ₹11,040 – ₹20,240 |
| Utilities (your share)Numbeo: about USD 88 for a whole 85 m² flat; higher in winter | US$20–60per month | ≈ ₹1,840 – ₹5,520 |
| Monthly transport passNumbeo: about USD 15 | US$15–16per month | ≈ ₹1,380 – ₹1,472 |
| Mobile and internet | US$10–25per month | ≈ ₹920 – ₹2,300 |
| Books, personal and otherOur estimate | US$40–90per month | ≈ ₹3,680 – ₹8,280 |
| Rough monthly total | US$385–811 | ≈ ₹35,420 – ₹74,612 |
About Tbilisi
Tbilisi is Georgia's capital and largest city, with about 1.4 million people. It sits in a valley along the Mtkvari river, with an old town, parks, hills and a cable car. Summers are hot and winters are cold. The city has a metro, buses and cheap taxis through apps. There are daily direct flights from Delhi, and India has had a resident embassy in Tbilisi since 2024. Political protests have been frequent on Rustaveli Avenue, and students should keep away from them.
Ranking
TSMU is not in the QS World University Rankings or the THE World University Rankings. In Times Higher Education's Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 it is placed in the 1001–1500 band overall (401–600 for Good Health and Wellbeing).
Scholarships
TSMU's international pages do not list a fee scholarship for international MD students. Its notices sometimes share external scholarships, such as foreign government awards, but these are for study elsewhere. Treat any 'scholarship' offered by an agent with caution and get it in writing from the university.
Documents required
- Valid passport
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and certificates (original school-leaving certificate)
- NEET-UG scorecard showing a qualifying result
- B1-level certificate in the language of the programme
- Birth certificate (translated), and parent's passport if you are under 18
- Notarised Georgian translations of all documents, in two original copies
- Apostille on school documents
- Power of attorney, if someone else submits your documents
- University offer letter and first-year fee receipt
- Ministry of Education, Science and Youth enrolment order
- Proof of funds and proof of accommodation for the visa
- Travel and health insurance for the whole stay
Ready to apply?Our counsellor will check your documents and NEET score and guide you through the admission letter and visa.
Other medical universities in Georgia
| University | City | Tuition / year |
|---|---|---|
| Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University | Tbilisi | US$8,000 |
| David Tvildiani Medical University | Tbilisi | US$8,000 |
| Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University | Batumi | US$5,000 |
| New Vision University | Tbilisi | US$7,000 |
| East European University | Tbilisi | US$6,000 |
FAQs
Is TSMU admitting Indian students for 2026–27?
Georgia's government said in December 2025 that state universities would stop admitting new foreign students, and reports in September 2026 said none were admitted for 2026–27. TSMU's website still shows an admission notice. Ask the university in writing whether it can admit you for your intake, and do not pay any agent before you have that answer.
What is the fee for the English MD at TSMU?
The university lists USD 8,000 a year for the English-medium Medical Doctor programme. The American MD programme costs USD 13,500 a year. Rent, food and visa costs are extra.
Does TSMU have a hostel?
Its international student pages do not list a hostel or hostel fee. Most students rent shared flats near the campus in Saburtalo. Budget about USD 180–400 a month for your share of rent.
Is a TSMU degree valid in India?
The NMC does not approve foreign universities. Your eligibility depends on meeting every condition of the FMGL Regulations, 2021, including the licence rule in Georgia, then passing the FMGE and a 12-month internship in India. In 2024, about 31% of TSMU graduates who sat the FMGE passed.
Is the internship included in the six years?
Yes. Georgia places the internship in the sixth year, and the university says the fifth and sixth years are clinical clerkships worth 120 ECTS. The NMC's FAQ treats the foreign internship as separate from the course, so ask TSMU for a written breakdown of course months and internship months.
Can I work part-time while studying?
Since 1 March 2026 foreigners generally need a work permit to be employed in Georgia, and students are not listed as exempt. The MD timetable is also heavy. Plan to fund the full cost without income.
Sources
- TSMU — Education programmes and programme fees (international students) (opens in a new tab)
- TSMU — Admissions process for international students (opens in a new tab)
- TSMU — University clinics (opens in a new tab)
- TSMU — Rector's announcement on the advisory to Indian students (5 June 2023) (opens in a new tab)
- World Directory of Medical Schools — Tbilisi State Medical University Faculty of Medicine (F0001542) (opens in a new tab)
- OC Media, 4 Dec 2025 — Georgia to stop accepting foreign students in state universities (opens in a new tab)
- APA, 11 Sep 2026 — Georgia to allow foreign students to enter universities without exams (opens in a new tab)
- Medical Dialogues, 1 Oct 2026 — Junior doctor status alone may not satisfy FMGL (opens in a new tab)
- Careers360, citing NBEMS data — FMGE passing percentage of Georgia 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- Times Higher Education — Tbilisi State Medical University profile (opens in a new tab)
- JAMnews — Georgia's new rules for hiring foreign workers (opens in a new tab)
- Numbeo — Cost of living in Tbilisi (October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Official website: tsmu.edu (opens in a new tab)
Fees and rules change