The delayed publication of Georgia’s ‘Applicant Handbook’ has raised concerns among prospective students, who now have less time to make fully informed decisions ahead of the 2026 Unified National Examinations (UNE), education policy researcher Vano Gomurashvili told BMGTV.
Typically released in early March, the handbook provides essential information on university programs, accreditation, exam procedures and admission requirements. This year, however, it will not be available until April. Despite the delay, the Ministry of Education has confirmed that the 2026 UNE schedule will remain unchanged, with exams set to begin in July.
Gomurashvili emphasized that the handbook is more than a technical guide. It allows students to verify which programs are accredited, the duration of accreditation, minimum competency requirements, special admission conditions and exam subject coefficients used to calculate competitive scores.
“Without the handbook, many practical questions remain unanswered,” he said. “Students need clarity on how many universities they can select, whether law program applicants can apply to private universities alongside state institutions and what restrictions apply during the selection process.”
The researcher also criticized recent education reforms that effectively ended the grant system for private universities. Free education is now largely limited to state institutions. “Applicants face a difficult choice: study at a state university with a grant or at a private university without financial support. This artificially limits competition and restricts student freedom. Last year, nearly half of all applicants chose private universities. Essentially, future students are being denied the right to choose,” Gomurashvili noted.
