ChildrenFor families with children
Schools in Georgia: grade 1 enrolment, transfer from abroad
Grade 1 enrolment at public schools has 5 stages; only III and IV are online. From 1 September 2026, the school itself recognises schooling abroad.
In short
- Grade 1 enrolment
- 5 stages. In 2026, from 18 February to 31 July. Dates for the 2027/28 school year have not been announced yet
- Online
- Only stages III and IV, at registration.emis.ge. At the other stages, the school enrols the child
- Age
- 6 by 15 September inclusive. As a one-off in 2026/27, children turning 6 by 31 December 2026 could also be enrolled
- Enrolment by address
- Stage III, in 12 cities including Tbilisi and Batumi. It is not allocation: you enrol your child yourself in a school in your district
- Studied abroad
- From 1 September 2026, previous schooling is recognised by the school your child is transferring to
- Documents
- Foreign documents need a notarised translation into Georgian
- Teaching in Russian
- 54 schools as of July 2023: 11 fully in Russian, 43 with a Russian section
How to enrol your child in school
- Check the age
Grade 1 is for children who turn 6 by 15 September inclusive.
- Prepare the documents
An application, copies of your passport and your child's birth certificate, and a residence permit if you have one. Foreign documents need a notarised translation into Georgian.
- Enrol online at stage III or IV
The parent enrols the child at registration.emis.ge. Choose a stage:
Stage III: by addressIn 12 cities, including Tbilisi and Batumi. You choose a school in your district, based on the child's address in the Public Service Development Agency database. In 2026: 15–25 May.Stage IV: general enrolmentAny school with places available. In 2026: 15 June – 3 July. - Take the documents to the school
After enrolling online, by the deadline. In 2026: 27 May – 12 June for stage III, 6–17 July for stage IV. If you miss it, the enrolment is cancelled automatically.
- If your child studied abroad
Apply directly to the school. Attach the school record: a notarised copy with a notarised translation into Georgian. The school will hold an interview or a test and decide the grade.
Documents
0 of 5 ready ·Check the exact list on the portal before applying: it changes.
Grey areas: lawyers disagree here
The rule that the school recognises schooling abroad has applied since 1 September 2026. The NCEQE page on eqe.ge still lists general education among what the centre recognises. For grade 10 and above, you need a document showing completion of grade 9. Ask the school which documents you need in your case.
Enrolment by address uses the child's address in the Public Service Development Agency database. The ministry's announcements do not say what to do if the address is not there. Stage IV is general enrolment, open to everyone.
FAQ · 6
When do I enrol for grade 1?
Dates for the 2027/28 school year have not been announced yet. In 2026, enrolment ran from 18 February to 31 July in 5 stages. Online: stage III, 15–25 May, and stage IV, 15 June – 3 July.
Will a school be assigned automatically by address?
No. Stage III is a chance to enrol your child in a school in your district before general enrolment. You enrol your child yourself, at registration.emis.ge. In 2026, this was a pilot in 12 cities, including Tbilisi and Batumi.
Who enrols at stages I, II and V?
I: children with special educational needs. II: if a brother or sister goes to the school, a parent works there, or two or more children from the family start grade 1 at the same time. V: remaining places. At these stages, the school enrols the child.
My child studied abroad. How do we transfer?
Apply to the school and attach the school record with a notarised translation. From 1 September 2026, the school itself recognises previous schooling. In grades 1–9, it places the child in the grade for their age or up to 2 grades lower. If you disagree with the school, the parent decides.
Are there schools that teach in Russian?
Yes. In July 2023, JAMnews counted 54 such schools: 11 teaching fully in Russian and 43 with a Russian section. We have not found more recent official data.
Do documents need to be translated?
Yes: foreign documents need a notarised translation into Georgian.
What changed · 5
- 18 July 2023JAMnews: 54 schools teaching in Russian, 11 fully in Russian and 43 with a Russian section
- 18 February 20265 stages of grade 1 enrolment announced for 2026/27, including a new stage III: by address
- 1 April 2026One-off exception: in 2026/27, children turning 6 by 31 December 2026 could start grade 1
- 4 April 20266–8 April added for stage I; stage II moved to 24 April – 8 May
- 1 September 2026Schooling abroad is recognised by the school the child is transferring to
Sources · 13
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: grade 1 enrolment for 2026/27, 18 February 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: one-off age exception for grade 1, 3 March 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: school districts for enrolment by address, 3 April 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: new dates for stages I and II, 4 April 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: stage III, enrolment by address, 14 May 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Ministry of Education of Georgia: stage IV, general enrolment, 14 June 2026 — mes.gov.ge
- Law of Georgia on General Education, Articles 6, 33 and 63¹², checked 29 September 2026 — matsne.gov.ge
- Minister of Education's Order No. 124/n of 10 September 2026: recognition of education received abroad — matsne.gov.ge
- edu.aris.ge: the rule on recognising schooling abroad comes into force, 14 September 2026
- NCEQE: recognition of education received abroad, checked 29 September 2026 — eqe.ge
- NCEQE: frequently asked questions, translation of documents under Article 73 of the General Administrative Code — eqe.ge
- Georgia Today: school enrolment rules, 18 February 2026
- JAMnews: children from Russia in Georgian schools, 18 July 2023