Transfer from Kutaisi University: Where to Continue Medicine in 2026
23.09.2026
Is a transfer from Kutaisi University to a university in Europe possible?
Yes. A transfer from Kutaisi University to a university in Europe is possible in 2026 for Medicine students who have completed at least one academic year. The Medical Doctor programme in Kutaisi carries 360 ECTS over six years, is taught in English and follows WFME standards, so receiving universities can read the transcript and evaluate each passed course.
Quick answer
A transfer from Kutaisi University to a university in Europe is possible for Medicine students in 2026. Passed courses from the 360-ECTS MD programme are evaluated individually, and entries into year 4 or year 5 are regularly achieved. Medschool Experts checks each case free of charge and organises the whole process.
Kutaisi University is a private institution founded in 1991 and an associate member of the European University Association since October 2021. Its medical faculty runs its own laboratories and a simulation centre. Many students are content there. Some want something else. Both are normal.
| Item | Kutaisi University, Faculty of Medicine |
|---|---|
| University | Kutaisi University (UNIK), private, founded 1991 |
| City | Kutaisi, western Georgia (a second campus in Tbilisi) |
| Programme | Medicine (Medical Doctor, one-cycle programme) |
| Tuition per year | approx. 5,000 USD (Kutaisi campus, 2026) |
| Living costs | approx. 350 to 550 EUR per month |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Degree | MD, 6 years (12 semesters) |
| Credits | 360 ECTS |
| Intake | September or October |
| University page | Kutaisi University on Medschool Experts |
Where a student can continue depends on the passed courses, the home country and the career goal. Medschool Experts has placed more than 500 students at partner universities and organises transfers from Georgian faculties every year. A study transfer is a complex undertaking. Our experts have almost 10 years of experience in study transfers worldwide, which is why they plan and carry it out confidently. The consultation is free. Book your free consultation with Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team.
Failed exams at Kutaisi University: what now?
Failed exams at Kutaisi University in 2026 leave three options: retake the exam in the next session, repeat the year in Kutaisi, or transfer to a university in Europe with the passed courses recognised. None of these ends a medical career. Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology in the first two years are the modules students most often struggle with, and the same modules are hard everywhere.
A retake works when the material was almost there. Repeating the year makes sense when several modules are open and the student wants to stay in Kutaisi. A transfer is the right path when the environment itself was part of the problem: distance from home, the study rhythm, a specific course or a professor. Marcel Kloos, who studied dentistry in Sofia from 2015 to 2021, has seen all three paths work for students he has advised.
A failed module does not erase the passed ones. A student who passed 45 of 60 ECTS in year 2 brings 105 ECTS into the credit evaluation. The free consultation compares the three paths with your transcript in hand.
Which reasons lead students to transfer from Kutaisi University?
Students transfer from Kutaisi University for six recurring reasons: exam setbacks, the wish for an EU degree, the USMLE route, the Israeli Ministry of Health reform, distance from home and conflicts within a course. Each has a solution that keeps the passed years.
| Situation in Kutaisi | What a transfer changes |
|---|---|
| Failed exams in Anatomy, Biochemistry or Physiology | Passed courses recognised, failed module retaken in a new environment |
| Wish for an EU degree with automatic recognition inside the EU | Continue at a university in an EU member state, degree covered by Directive 2005/36/EC |
| Career goal USA and USMLE preparation | Clinical rotations that fit the Step 1 and Step 2 timeline |
| Israeli student checking Ministry of Health recognition | Continue in an OECD member state, approved as a group under the Yatziv reform |
| Distance from home, travel time and costs | Shorter journeys, a study location closer to family |
| Conflict with a course or a professor | Fresh start at a new faculty with the passed years intact |
Missing from the table: criticism of the university. The reasons above belong to the student's life plan, not to the quality of the teaching. A transfer is a planning decision. Our transfer service is built around exactly these situations.
How does ECTS credit transfer work after Kutaisi University?
ECTS credit transfer after Kutaisi University works course by course: the receiving university in Europe compares each passed module from the Kutaisi transcript with its own curriculum and recognises the ones that match in content and workload. The MD programme in Kutaisi awards 60 ECTS per year and 360 ECTS in total, the same scale used across Europe.
Three documents drive the evaluation: the transcript of records, the course syllabi with hours and content, and the certificate of enrolment. Syllabi matter most. A module called Human Anatomy with 12 ECTS reads differently from one with the same name and 6 ECTS. Medschool Experts prepares the recognition file and submits it to the receiving university.
How many years are recognised? There is no fixed rule and we do not publish one. Medschool Experts is the leading expert in this field worldwide and frequently achieves placements in year 4 or year 5 at top universities worldwide. The result depends on your transcript, which is why the free credit check comes first.
Which universities accept transfer students from Kutaisi University?
Which universities accept transfer students from Kutaisi University depends on the individual profile: the year completed, the passed courses, the language of the target programme and the home country of the student. Medschool Experts checks each case individually against its partner universities and does not publish lists of accepting faculties, because a list would be wrong for half the readers.
A student after year 1 with 60 ECTS has different options from a student after year 3 with 180 ECTS. An Israeli student plans with the Ministry of Health list in mind. A USMLE candidate needs matching rotations. Three profiles, three answers.
What we can say publicly: transfers from Georgian faculties to universities in Europe are a well-trodden path, and Medschool Experts places students at partner universities every intake. Our university overview shows the breadth of the network. Which of them fits you is the content of the free consultation with Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team.
What does Israel's Yatziv reform mean for Israeli students at Kutaisi University?
Israel's Yatziv reform means that Israeli students at Kutaisi University plan their licensing route with the Ministry of Health list in mind. The Ministry ties admission to the Israeli medical licensing exam to the institution where a doctor studied. For Israelis who began studying in 2019 or later, all institutions in OECD member states count as approved, plus institutions in other countries that the Ministry lists individually.
Georgia is not an OECD member. For Israeli students in Kutaisi, the Ministry's individual list is therefore the reference. Some Israeli students plan their degree with a university in an OECD country in mind, and a transfer is one way to do that. Others continue in Kutaisi. Medschool Experts advises Israeli students on both paths, free of charge.
Students from India: recognition rules to check
Indian students at Kutaisi University plan under the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021, in force since 18 November 2021: a course of at least 54 months in English, a twelve-month internship at the same foreign institution, registration eligibility in the country of study, a further twelve-month internship in India and the screening exam. The six-year programme in Kutaisi exceeds the 54-month minimum. The same regulations apply after a transfer, which the consultation keeps in view.
What does studying in Kutaisi cost, and what does a transfer change?
Studying Medicine at Kutaisi University costs approximately 5,000 USD in tuition per year in 2026 plus 350 to 550 EUR per month for rent, food and local transport, roughly 9,000 to 11,500 EUR a year in total. A transfer to a university in Europe changes this budget in both directions.
Tuition in the EU can be higher than in Kutaisi. Living costs vary widely between European cities. What often shifts the calculation is the return journey: a student from Europe or Israel pays for flights several times a year, and a study location closer to home cuts that line. The consultation includes a full cost comparison for your target country.
Why is Georgia still an attractive place to study Medicine in 2026?
Georgia is still an attractive place to study Medicine in 2026 because it combines an English-taught six-year MD of 360 ECTS with tuition clearly below Western Europe. At Kutaisi University, tuition runs at approximately 5,000 USD per year. Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement has held WFME recognition status since 2018, which keeps the USMLE and ECFMG route to the United States and the UK PLAB route open. Tbilisi and Batumi host international students from many countries, and Georgia is a welcoming, safe and affordable place to live. Kutaisi costs even less.
For Iranian students, Georgia is especially accessible. Iranian citizens can enter Georgia without a visa and stay for up to 45 days. The study visa and the residence permit are then arranged inside Georgia. Many Iranian students face long waiting times or refusals when they apply for student visas elsewhere, so Georgia is one of the most accessible places for them to study Medicine in English.
A transfer is one good option among several. Whether you stay at Kutaisi University or move to another university, Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team advises you free of charge.
{{cta}}What does a transfer from Kutaisi University cost?
A transfer from Kutaisi University involves five cost items: the free consultation, the transfer service of Medschool Experts, translations and apostilles, the application or recognition fee of the receiving university and the move itself. The service fee is quoted individually, because a transfer after year 1 and one after year 4 with a full clinical file are different amounts of work.
| Cost item | Who charges it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation with Medschool Experts | Medschool Experts | Free, no obligation |
| Transfer service | Medschool Experts | Quoted individually after the free consultation |
| Translations, notarisations, apostilles | Translators, notaries | Depends on the number of documents and the language |
| Application or recognition fee | Receiving university | Varies, disclosed in the consultation |
| Tuition at the new university | Receiving university | Higher or lower than 5,000 USD depending on the country |
| Moving and first month of rent | Landlord, airline | Plan one to two months of living costs as a buffer |
Budget realistically for translations. A transcript and a syllabus of several hundred pages, translated, notarised and apostilled, can be the largest item after tuition. Medschool Experts tells you in advance which documents are needed so nothing is translated twice.
Does a transfer from Kutaisi University fit the USMLE and USA route?
The USMLE route stays open for students from Kutaisi University and for students who transfer to a university in Europe. Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement has held WFME recognition status since 19 October 2018, which is the basis for ECFMG certification of graduates. The UK PLAB route also remains open. A transfer to a WFME-recognised university in Europe keeps both routes.
Why do USMLE-focused students transfer at all? Timing. Step 1 follows the pre-clinical phase, Step 2 CK falls in the clinical years, and US elective rotations need to fit the curriculum. Some universities in Europe have built their clinical years around this calendar. Whether that matters for you is a question for the consultation.
Inside the EU, a Georgian degree is a third-country qualification that each member state assesses case by case, because Directive 2005/36/EC does not apply to it automatically. A degree completed in an EU member state is covered by the Directive. For students who want to practise in Europe, this is often the decisive argument.
How does a transfer with Medschool Experts work step by step?
A transfer with Medschool Experts runs in five steps over roughly seven to nine months: a free consultation in month 0, the transcript and syllabus check in month 1, the application and credit evaluation in months 2 to 4, the admission letter with visa and housing in months 4 to 6, and the first day at the new university in month 7 to 9. The best time to start for a September entry is January to March.
1. Free consultation
Your situation, your goal and your transcript. No obligation.
2. Document check
Transcript, syllabi, enrolment certificate, passport. We tell you what to translate.
3. Credit evaluation
The receiving university compares your courses with its curriculum. We prepare the file.
4. Admission and move
Admission letter, visa, housing, deregistration in Kutaisi. We coordinate the sequence.
Throughout your studies we stay your point of contact. Students who have made the move describe it in our student stories. From Bern, where Marcel Kloos lives and works as a federally recognised dentist, the team coordinates transfers across time zones every week.
When should a student at Kutaisi University start planning a transfer?
A student at Kutaisi University should start planning a transfer six to nine months before the intended entry, which for a September 2027 start means the winter of 2026/2027. Starting earlier keeps more options open; starting later narrows the choice of intakes. Do not wait for the next exam result before asking the first question.
Two moments are especially good. The first is right after the exam period, when the transcript is complete and the credit evaluation can run on final grades. The second is the start of a new academic year, when the same doubts have returned. In both cases the first step is free: a conversation with Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team about where you want to be in 2030 with your MD in hand.
The author's view
I studied dentistry in Sofia from 2015 to 2021, and I remember the year in which I asked myself whether I was in the right place. I stayed. Some of my classmates transferred, and it was right for them. The question itself is healthy. Students who ask it early make better decisions than students who let the next exam result decide for them.
Kutaisi University gives its students a real medical education at a price that opens the door for many families. I respect that. When a student from Kutaisi contacts us from Bern, my first question is never whether the university is good enough. It is where the student wants to hold a licence in 2032 and what the shortest, safest path to that licence looks like. Sometimes the answer is to stay. Often it is a transfer with the passed years intact. Both answers come from the same free conversation, and I would rather have it with you now than in two years.
Summary
- A transfer from Kutaisi University to a university in Europe is possible in 2026 for Medicine students who have completed at least one academic year.
- Kutaisi University offers a six-year, 360-ECTS MD programme in English for approximately 5,000 USD per year, with living costs of 350 to 550 EUR per month.
- Passed courses are evaluated individually; Medschool Experts frequently achieves entries into year 4 or year 5 and publishes no cap.
- Failed exams leave three legitimate paths: retake, repeat the year, or transfer with the passed courses recognised.
- Georgia is not an OECD member, so Israeli students plan with the Ministry of Health list as their reference; some transfer to a university in an OECD country, others continue, and we advise on both paths.
- Georgia remains an attractive, affordable place to study Medicine in English, and Iranian citizens can enter without a visa.
- The USMLE and PLAB routes stay open; the process takes seven to nine months, best started between January and March.
Conclusion
Kutaisi University is a legitimate place to begin Medicine. Students who leave it do so for reasons that belong to their own plans: a degree recognised where they want to practise, a licensing route that fits the Israeli Ministry of Health list, a curriculum built around the USMLE, or a fresh start after a hard year. None of these is a failure. The world needs every one of them to finish.
Preparation makes the difference. A complete transcript, documented syllabi and an early start turn a transfer from an open question into a scheduled move. Medschool Experts has done this for more than 500 students and checks every case free of charge. Book your free consultation with Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team and find out where your passed years can take you.
Frequently Asked Questions about a transfer from Kutaisi University
Is an agency necessary for a transfer from Kutaisi University?
An agency is not legally required for a transfer from Kutaisi University, but the process involves a credit evaluation, translations, apostilles, university deadlines and visa steps in a second country. Medschool Experts has coordinated study transfers for almost ten years, knows which documents each partner university expects and prepares the recognition file so that passed courses count. The first consultation is free.
Will I lose a year if I transfer from Kutaisi University?
Not necessarily. Whether a student loses time depends on how many passed courses the receiving university recognises, decided course by course from the transcript and syllabi. The MD programme in Kutaisi uses the same 60-ECTS-per-year scale as universities in Europe. Medschool Experts frequently achieves placements in year 4 or year 5 at top universities worldwide. The free credit check shows the realistic entry year before any application is sent.
I failed a year at Kutaisi University. Can I still transfer?
Yes. A failed year does not delete the courses you passed. If you passed Anatomy and Histology but not Biochemistry, the two passed modules go into the credit evaluation and the open module is taken again at the new university. Receiving universities look at what is on the transcript. Many students transfer after a difficult year because a new environment helps them finish. The consultation compares retake, repeat and transfer for your case.
How does ECTS credit transfer work after Kutaisi University?
The receiving university compares each passed module from your Kutaisi transcript with its own curriculum and recognises the modules that match in content and workload. Three documents are needed: the transcript of records with grades and ECTS, the course syllabi with hours and topics, and the certificate of enrolment. Medschool Experts collects these, prepares the recognition file and submits it. The programme in Kutaisi awards 360 ECTS over six years, so the credit scale is already the European one.
Which universities accept transfer students from Kutaisi University?
That depends on your profile: the year completed, the passed courses, the language of the target programme and your home country. Medschool Experts checks each case individually against its partner universities and does not publish lists of accepting faculties, because the right answer differs from student to student. A student after year 1 and a student after year 3 receive different options. The free consultation with Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team gives you yours.
What does Israel's Ministry of Health recognition mean for Israeli students at Kutaisi University?
Israel's Ministry of Health ties admission to the Israeli licensing exam to the institution. For Israelis who began studying in 2019 or later, all institutions in OECD member states count as approved, plus individually listed institutions in other countries. Georgia is not an OECD member, so the Ministry's individual list is the reference. Some plan a transfer to an OECD country; others continue. We advise on both, free of charge.
How much does a transfer from Kutaisi University cost?
The consultation with Medschool Experts is free. The transfer service is quoted individually after that conversation, because a file after year 1 and a full clinical recognition file after year 4 involve different work. Add translations and apostilles, the application or recognition fee of the receiving university, and moving costs with one to two months of rent as a buffer. Tuition at the new university may be higher or lower than the roughly 5,000 USD charged in Kutaisi.
When should I start planning a transfer from Kutaisi University?
Six to nine months before the intended entry. For a September 2027 start, that means the winter of 2026/2027, ideally between January and March. Starting early keeps more intakes open and gives time for translations and the credit evaluation. Two good moments are right after an exam period, when the transcript is complete, and the start of a new academic year. The first conversation is free at any point in the year.
Is Georgia a good place to study Medicine for Iranian students?
Yes. Iranian citizens can enter Georgia without a visa and stay for up to 45 days, and the study visa and residence permit are then arranged inside Georgia. Many Iranian students face long waiting times or refusals for student visas elsewhere. Georgia, with English-taught six-year MD programmes such as the one at Kutaisi University, is therefore one of the most accessible places for them to study Medicine.
Can I continue on the USMLE route after leaving Kutaisi University?
Yes. Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement has held WFME recognition status since 19 October 2018, and a transfer to a WFME-recognised university in Europe keeps the ECFMG and USMLE route open. Some students transfer to align their clinical years with the Step 1 and Step 2 CK calendar and with US electives. The UK PLAB route also remains available. Which curriculum fits your timeline is part of the consultation.
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About the author
Marcel Kloos
Swiss-licensed dentist and founder of Medschool Experts
Marcel Kloos founded Medschool Experts while studying abroad; since then, over 500 study places have been secured. The Stuttgart-born dentist studied dentistry from 2015 to 2021 in Sofia and holds a Swiss dental licence.
Today he lives in Bern and runs Medschool Experts full-time as its owner.
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