Transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University: Where to Continue Medicine or Dentistry in 2026
23.09.2026
Is a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University possible?
Yes. A transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University to another medical or dental faculty is possible for students in Medicine or Dentistry, usually from the second year of study onwards, and in 2026 it is one of the most common transfer requests Medschool Experts receives from Georgia. The Georgian MD is a 6-year, 360-ECTS programme taught in English, so passed subjects can be mapped onto the curriculum of a receiving university. What the receiving faculty checks is your transcript, your syllabus and your language of instruction. Nobody asks why you want to leave.
Quick answer
A transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University is possible for Medicine and Dentistry students who have passed subjects worth ECTS credits. Medschool Experts checks the transcript, matches it against curricula of partner universities worldwide and frequently secures placements in year 4 or year 5. The individual check and the consultation are free.
| Fact | Tbilisi State Medical University |
|---|---|
| City | Tbilisi, Georgia (capital, about 1.2 million inhabitants) |
| Type | State university, founded 1918 |
| Programmes | Medicine or Dentistry, taught in English |
| Tuition | Around 8,000 USD per year (approx. 7,400 EUR) in 2026, depending on programme |
| Degree and length | MD, 6 years (12 semesters), 360 ECTS |
| Living costs | Approx. 500 to 750 EUR per month |
| Quality assurance | Accredited by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, which holds WFME recognition status since 19 October 2018 |
| University page | Tbilisi State Medical University on Medschool Experts |
Failed exams at Tbilisi State Medical University: what now?
Failed exams at Tbilisi State Medical University are a setback, not the end of a medical career. A student who has failed a year or a block exam in Tbilisi in 2026 has three options: repeat the year, resit under the university's rules, or transfer the credits already earned to another faculty and continue there. The third option is the one most students do not know exists. It is also the one that most often saves time.
Collect facts first: which subjects are passed, how many ECTS credits you hold, and what your official transcript says. Anatomy, histology, biochemistry and physiology, once passed, do not disappear because one other exam went wrong. A receiving university looks at the passed subjects, not at the failed attempt. Students often underestimate this.
Marcel Kloos studied dentistry in Sofia from 2015 to 2021, works from Bern today and has placed more than 500 students. His observation from those cases: the earlier a student asks for a transcript check, the more of the year can be saved. A call in June still allows a start in the following autumn. A call in October usually means waiting for the spring intake, which exists at many faculties too.
Why do students transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University?
Students transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University for five recurring reasons, and each of them has a solution: tuition and living costs, difficulty passing specific exams, friction with a course or a professor, the wish for a degree issued inside the EU, and the career goal of practising in the USA. In 2026 the fifth reason, the USMLE plan, has grown fastest among the requests Medschool Experts receives from Tbilisi.
Costs come first for many families: exchange rates move, and a transfer to a faculty with lower fees or closer to home can save five-figure sums over the remaining years. Exams come second: a student who has failed the same exam twice in Tbilisi may pass a differently structured exam elsewhere. The third reason is personal: a course that does not suit you, a language module you struggle with, a professor you cannot work with. That is allowed. Fourth is the EU degree: inside the EU a Georgian degree is a third-country qualification and is assessed case by case, whereas a degree issued by an EU faculty falls under Directive 2005/36/EC. Fifth is the USA, where a strong clinical phase and dedicated USMLE preparation matter more than the flag on the first two years.
How does ECTS credit transfer work after Tbilisi State Medical University?
ECTS credit transfer after Tbilisi State Medical University works subject by subject: the receiving university compares each passed course on your transcript with its own curriculum and recognises those that match in content and workload. Because the Georgian MD uses the 360-ECTS structure, a student with three completed years in Tbilisi typically presents around 180 ECTS for review in 2026. Recognised credits place you in a later year. Missing subjects are added as bridging courses.
The documents that matter are the official transcript of records, the course syllabi with hours and ECTS values, and proof of the language of instruction. Syllabi are the part students forget. Without them, a receiving faculty cannot see that your "Human Anatomy I" covered the same ground as its own course, and the credit may be recognised only partly.
Medschool Experts is the leading expert in this field worldwide and frequently achieves placements in year 4 or year 5 at top universities worldwide. How many of your credits are recognised depends on your transcript and on the receiving curriculum, not on a fixed rule. The check is free: send your transcript through the consultation page and Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team maps it for you.
Which universities accept transfer students from Tbilisi State Medical University?
Which university accepts a transfer student from Tbilisi State Medical University depends on the individual profile: year of study, passed subjects, grade average, language certificates and the intended career country. Medschool Experts checks each case individually against its partner universities and does not publish lists of accepting faculties, because a list is misleading: the faculty that took a fourth-year student with 180 ECTS in 2025 may have no free clinical place for a second-year student in 2026.
What can be said in general: partner universities of Medschool Experts in Europe and beyond take transfer students in Medicine or Dentistry every intake, spring and autumn. 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.
Browse the university profiles for fees and cities; which of them is realistic for you is answered in the consultation.
What does Israel's Yatziv reform mean for Israeli students at Tbilisi State Medical University?
Israel's Ministry of Health ties admission to the Israeli medical licensing exam to the institution where a doctor studied. Under the Yatziv reform, for Israelis who began their studies 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 state, so for Israeli students at Tbilisi State Medical University the Ministry's individual list is the reference.
Some Israeli students therefore plan their degree with a university in an OECD member state in mind, and a transfer is one way to do that. Others continue in Tbilisi. Both are valid plans. Medschool Experts advises Israeli students on both paths, free of charge, in a personal consultation.
What does studying at Tbilisi State Medical University cost compared with a transfer?
Studying at Tbilisi State Medical University costs around 8,000 USD per year in tuition in 2026, roughly 7,400 EUR, plus living costs of about 500 to 750 EUR per month. Over a full six-year programme that adds up to roughly 44,000 EUR in tuition and 36,000 to 54,000 EUR in living expenses. A transfer does not change the years already paid. It changes the price and the location of the remaining years.
Can I take the USMLE and the USA route after Tbilisi State Medical University?
Yes. The USMLE route remains open to students and graduates of Tbilisi State Medical University in 2026, because Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement holds WFME recognition status since 19 October 2018, which is the basis of the ECFMG's accreditation requirement. The UK route via PLAB is open as well. A transfer is therefore not a rescue of the USA plan. It is a way to organise the clinical years around it.
What matters for a USMLE candidate is Step 1 preparation during the pre-clinical years, Step 2 CK after a strong clinical phase, and clinical experience that US residency programmes value. Students who transfer to a faculty with structured USMLE support, English-language hospital rotations and a track record of graduates matching in the USA start the residency application from a better position. Which faculty that is depends on your profile and is discussed individually.
Why is Georgia still an attractive place to study Medicine in 2026?
Georgia remains an attractive place to study Medicine in 2026 because it combines an English-taught six-year MD worth 360 ECTS with tuition clearly below Western European levels: at Tbilisi State Medical University around 8,000 USD per year, roughly 7,400 EUR. Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement holds WFME recognition status since 2018, which keeps the USMLE and ECFMG route and the UK PLAB route open for graduates. Tbilisi and Batumi host international students from many countries, and lecture halls in both cities are used to a mix of languages and backgrounds. Daily life in Georgia is welcoming, safe and affordable.
For Iranian students, Georgia has one more advantage. Iranian citizens can enter Georgia without a visa and stay for up to 45 days, and 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 option among good ones. Both paths can work. Whether you stay at Tbilisi State Medical University or move to another university, Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team advises you free of charge.
{{cta}}Is a Georgian medical degree recognised in Europe and in my home country?
A Georgian medical degree from Tbilisi State Medical University is a 6-year, 360-ECTS MD taught in English, accredited by an agency with WFME recognition status, and it is used by graduates in many countries in 2026. Inside the EU it counts as a third-country qualification: Directive 2005/36/EC, which grants automatic recognition to degrees issued in EU member states, does not apply automatically, so each EU country assesses the Georgian degree case by case, often with a knowledge test or an adaptation period.
That is why some students prefer to finish inside the EU: a degree issued by an EU faculty is recognised across the Union under the Directive without an individual equivalence check.
On 4 December 2025 Georgia's Minister of Education and Science announced that state universities, including Tbilisi State Medical University, will not admit new foreign students from the 2026/2027 academic year, while enrolled students continue their studies and private universities keep admitting international students.
How does a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University work with Medschool Experts step by step?
A transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University with Medschool Experts runs in six steps over roughly four to eight months: free consultation, transcript and syllabus collection, curriculum matching, application to the selected partner university, admission and credit recognition decision, and enrolment with visa and housing support. In 2026 the two intakes that matter are autumn (September or October) and, at several partner faculties, spring (February or March).
The matching in month 3 is the technical heart of the transfer: your passed subjects are compared with the curricula of suitable partner universities, and a realistic placement year is estimated. Medschool Experts then prepares and submits the application, and after admission handles visa, housing and registration. Our services overview describes what is included at each stage, and student stories show how earlier transfers went.
When should I start planning a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University?
The best time to start planning a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University is six to eight months before the intended start, which for an autumn 2026 or 2027 start means the preceding winter or early spring. Students who begin in February have time for every step. Students who begin in July can still make a spring intake, and sometimes an autumn intake at faculties with late deadlines. Starting late is not a reason to wait a full year.
The world needs more doctors. Two or three years of medical school in Tbilisi deserve to count where you want to practise, and the free check starts with one message.
The author's view
I studied dentistry in Sofia from 2015 to 2021, so I know from my own six years abroad how much a medical curriculum differs from one faculty to the next, and how little students are told about credit transfer. That is the reason Medschool Experts treats the transcript check as the first step of every consultation, before any talk about universities. Documents first, then decisions.
Tbilisi is a good place to begin medicine. The students I speak with from there are motivated and well trained in the basic sciences. When they want to move, whether because of an exam, a licensing rule in Israel, or a plan to work in the USA, my job is to make the years they have already invested count. Since 2021 I have placed more than 500 students from Bern, and transfer cases from Georgia have become a regular part of that work.
My advice is short. Keep passing exams, collect your syllabi now, and talk to us early. The consultation is free, and a clear look at a transcript is worth more than a month of worrying.
Summary
- A transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University is possible for Medicine or Dentistry students who hold passed ECTS credits; the Georgian MD is a 6-year, 360-ECTS programme, which makes matching straightforward.
- Failed exams or a failed year are the most common trigger. Passed subjects stay valid, and a transfer often saves the repeated year.
- ECTS credit transfer is decided subject by subject from transcript and syllabi. Medschool Experts frequently achieves placements in year 4 or year 5 at top universities worldwide.
- For Israeli students who started in 2019 or later, the Israeli Ministry of Health approves all institutions in OECD member states; Georgia is not an OECD member, so the Ministry's individual list is the reference. Some plan a transfer to an OECD-country university, others continue in Tbilisi.
- Tuition in Tbilisi is around 8,000 USD per year in 2026 plus 500 to 750 EUR per month; a transfer changes the cost of the remaining years, not the past ones.
- The USMLE and PLAB routes stay open; plan six to eight months ahead, since many partner faculties have two intakes per year.
Conclusion
Studying medicine in Tbilisi is a legitimate start. When circumstances change, whether through an exam, a budget or a career plan, the years already completed remain valuable. A transfer turns them into a degree that fits the country and career you actually want. Georgia remains a good place to study Medicine, and the world needs more doctors.
Medschool Experts checks every case individually and free of charge. Send your transcript, describe your goal, and Marcel or another experienced consultant on our team will tell you within days which placement year is realistic and what the next step is. Book your free consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions about a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University
Is an agency necessary for a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University?
An agency is not legally required, but a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University involves curriculum matching, syllabus collection, translations, application deadlines and a recognition check for the target country. Medschool Experts has almost 10 years of experience with study transfers worldwide, knows which partner universities accept transfer students in which year, and handles the application. The initial consultation and the transcript check are free, so the decision costs nothing.
Will I lose a year if I transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University?
Not necessarily. The placement year depends on how many of your passed subjects the receiving university recognises. Because the Georgian MD follows the 360-ECTS model, credits from Tbilisi are comparable, and Medschool Experts frequently achieves placements in year 4 or year 5 at top universities worldwide. A student who transfers after a fully completed year with complete syllabi has the best chance of continuing without any lost time.
I failed a year at Tbilisi State Medical University. Can I still transfer?
Yes. A failed year does not delete the subjects you passed. The receiving university evaluates the passed courses on your transcript, and those credits are recognised regardless of the failed attempt. Many students who repeat a year in Tbilisi could instead continue at another faculty in the same or a higher year. Send your transcript to Medschool Experts for a free check; the result shows which placement year is realistic.
How does ECTS credit transfer work after Tbilisi State Medical University?
ECTS credit transfer is a subject-by-subject comparison. The receiving faculty checks each passed course on your official transcript against its own curriculum, using the syllabus to confirm content and workload. Matching courses are recognised; missing ones are added as bridging subjects. The key documents are the transcript of records, the course syllabi with ECTS values and proof of English as the language of instruction. Medschool Experts prepares this comparison before the application.
Which universities accept transfer students from Tbilisi State Medical University?
That depends on your profile: year of study, passed subjects, grade average, language certificates and the country where you want to practise. Medschool Experts checks each case individually against its partner universities in Europe and beyond and does not publish lists, because availability changes every intake. The free consultation gives you a concrete, personal answer within days instead of a generic table.
What does Israel's Ministry of Health recognition mean for Israeli students at Tbilisi State Medical 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 elsewhere. Georgia is not an OECD member, so the Ministry's individual list is the reference. Some Israeli students plan a transfer to an OECD-country university, others continue. Medschool Experts advises on both paths for free.
How much does a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University cost?
The consultation and the transcript check at Medschool Experts are free. The costs that follow are the tuition of the receiving university, living expenses at the new location, translations and certifications of documents, and the service fee of Medschool Experts, which is discussed openly before any application is submitted. Compare these with the roughly 7,400 EUR per year in Tbilisi plus 500 to 750 EUR per month, and with the cost of a repeated year.
When should I start planning a transfer from Tbilisi State Medical University?
Six to eight months before the intended start. For an autumn intake that means the preceding winter or early spring; for a spring intake, the preceding summer. Starting later is still possible at partner faculties with late deadlines, so a late decision is not a reason to wait a whole year. Collect syllabi while you are still enrolled, because departments are easiest to reach then.
Can I continue Dentistry after transferring from Tbilisi State Medical University?
Yes. Dentistry students transfer in the same way as Medicine students: transcript, syllabi and curriculum matching decide the placement year. Marcel Kloos studied dentistry in Sofia from 2015 to 2021 himself and is a federally recognised dentist in Switzerland, so dental transfers are checked by someone who knows the curriculum from the inside. Pre-clinical dental subjects are usually well comparable across faculties.
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 when applying for student visas elsewhere, so Georgia is one of the most accessible places for them to study Medicine in English, in a six-year MD worth 360 ECTS.
Does a transfer affect my USMLE plans after Tbilisi State Medical University?
A transfer keeps the USMLE route open and can strengthen it. Eligibility for ECFMG certification depends on graduating from a programme accredited by a WFME-recognised agency, which applies to Georgia since 2018 and to the partner universities Medschool Experts works with. A faculty with structured USMLE preparation and English-language clinical rotations improves the starting position for residency applications. The best moment to decide is the end of year 2 or 3.
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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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