Schools and kindergartens

Who this page is for

For families moving to Georgia with children and looking for a kindergarten or school.

We cover guardianship and the legal side of children's documents in the immigration section. Here is the choice of schooling and the practice of enrolment.

Our role

We shortlist schools from the family's brief, arrange visits, prepare documents and handle communication with the school in your language.

The school makes the enrolment decision, and we take no commission from schools - so we recommend what is best for the child.

Three types

An international school teaches in a foreign language and follows a foreign curriculum.

A private Georgian school is often bilingual and combines the Georgian curriculum with a strengthened foreign language.

In a public school teaching is mainly in Georgian, following the national curriculum.

International schools

International schools are mainly in Tbilisi, with a few in Batumi.

They are known for multinational classes, foreign teachers and an easy move to a school in another country.

Places are limited, and waiting lists are common in popular year groups.

Curricula

International schools follow different curricula: the International Baccalaureate, British, American and others.

The choice of curriculum depends on where the child plans to continue their education.

If you will move to another country in a few years, a curriculum recognised there too is better.

Private Georgian schools

A private Georgian school often stands out for small classes and strengthened English teaching.

It is a good choice if the family is staying long and the child is to learn Georgian.

We check the language support and experience with foreign children at the visit.

Public schools

A public school follows the national curriculum, and teaching is mainly in Georgian.

A younger child often picks up the language quickly, while an older one needs intensive support.

We check the rules and conditions for enrolling a foreign child in advance.

Other-language sections

Some public schools also have a section taught in another language.

This can be a solution for a family whose child studied in that language.

We check whether such a section is available, and its places, at the specific school.

How we choose

We start with the family's brief: the child's age, language, previous curriculum, any special needs and how long you are staying.

Then we add the budget, transport and the likely neighbourhood of the flat.

As a result we send you a shortlist of several schools, with the strengths and weaknesses of each.

A visit and a trial day

A school visit tells us a lot: the atmosphere in the classrooms, the teachers' attitude and the playground.

Some schools offer the child a trial day, which is also the best assessment for the child.

If you are still abroad, we arrange an online meeting and a video tour.

Places and waiting lists

In popular schools places often fill up long before the school year starts.

Joining the waiting list at several schools at once is sometimes better.

We keep track of the list and tell you straight away when a place opens up.

The school year

In Georgian schools the school year usually starts in mid-September and ends in early summer.

International schools sometimes start earlier and follow their own holidays.

We often align the moving date with the start of the school year.

Mid-year

Enrolling mid-year is often possible if there is a place.

It is harder for the child, because the class has already formed.

So in the first weeks we plan contact with the teacher and extra support.

Age and year group

The year group is often set by age, but the level at the previous school is also taken into account.

School-year and age rules differ between countries, and a child may end up a year ahead or behind.

We discuss this with the school, in the child's interest.

Enrolment documents

Often the child's passport, birth certificate, the parents' documents and a basis for residence or stay are needed.

A Georgian school needs documents in Georgian translation, sometimes with an apostille.

We send you the list before you arrive, because an apostille can only be done in the issuing country.

Previous school documents

Report cards, a final certificate and a teacher's reference help the school understand the child's level.

Ask the previous school for these documents before leaving, because getting them later is hard.

Where needed, we translate and certify them.

Recognition

When moving to a Georgian school, recognising foreign schooling may need a separate procedure.

The procedure is carried out by the relevant state service and requires the previous school's documents.

In an international school this is often not needed, but we check with the specific school.

Medical form and vaccinations

Schools and kindergartens often ask for a medical form and a vaccination record.

A local doctor sometimes confirms a foreign vaccination record and transfers it to the Georgian form.

We arrange a paediatrician visit together with the health section.

Tests and interviews

Many international schools hold a language and knowledge test or an interview before enrolment.

This is for placing the child in the right class with the right support, not only for selection.

We find out the test format in advance, so that the child does not face surprises.

Language support

If the child does not yet speak the language of instruction well, many schools offer extra lessons.

The length and cost of support vary from school to school.

Where needed, we also find a tutor outside school.

Georgian as a second language

Even if the child attends an international school, Georgian makes daily life and friendships easier.

Some schools teach Georgian as a separate subject; elsewhere a tutor is needed for it.

Children often learn the language faster than their parents.

The home language

Keeping up the home language in a new country takes separate effort.

Some schools have home-language classes; elsewhere there are community or online courses.

We look at these options together when choosing a school.

Special needs

Inclusive education practice in Georgia is developing, but support varies from school to school.

If the child has special needs, we share this with the school from the start and check what it can really offer.

Where needed, we look for specialists - a speech therapist, a psychologist - separately.

Adaptation

The first months are often the hardest: a new language, new friends and new rules.

Regular contact with the teacher and after-school activities make adaptation much easier.

If the child is struggling, we choose a child psychologist together with the health section.

Teenagers

For a teenager, moving is often hardest of all: friends stay behind, and final exams are approaching.

Continuity of curriculum matters especially for them, so that their studies are not interrupted.

We recommend involving the teenager in the decision - their view at the visit is often decisive.

Transport

Many international schools have their own bus, with routes through certain neighbourhoods.

If the bus does not come to your neighbourhood, the distance to school strongly affects daily life.

That is why we choose the school and the flat together.

Meals

Some schools offer lunch; elsewhere the child brings food from home.

With allergies or religious dietary rules, we agree this with the school in advance.

We check the meal arrangements at the visit, including the kitchen.

Uniform and supplies

In some schools a uniform is compulsory, and it is often bought from a shop the school specifies.

The school often provides the list of textbooks and supplies before the school year starts.

We gather all of this before the start, so that the first day begins calmly.

After school

Sport, music, art and language clubs help with new friendships and adaptation.

Some activities are at school, others at the city's sports and arts centres.

Georgian dance and folk singing become a favourite activity for many foreign children.

Tutors

A tutor helps with the language, a particular subject or exam preparation.

We choose a tutor who has worked with foreign children and communicates in your language.

Lessons can be at home or online.

Communication with parents

An international school often communicates in English, a Georgian school in Georgian.

If letters and meetings are in Georgian, we help with translation and at parents' meetings where needed.

The parent community is often the fastest source of information in a new country.

Safety

At a school visit we check entrance control, the playground and the rules for collecting children.

We ask about the child protection policy and how the school responds to conflict.

These questions are normal, and a good school is glad to answer them.

Online schooling

Some families live in Georgia while the child studies at another country's online school.

This is flexible, but the child misses contact with peers and needs activities for that.

We check the recognition of such schooling and local requirements in advance.

Public kindergartens

Public kindergartens often belong to the municipality, and enrolment often happens in a set period, by queue.

In central neighbourhoods places often fill up quickly.

We check the rules and deadlines for enrolling a foreign child in advance.

Private kindergartens

Private kindergartens often work with small groups, several languages and flexible hours.

Some private kindergartens follow a particular teaching approach.

We choose a kindergarten by visiting: the rooms, the yard, the food and the number of carers per child.

Choosing a kindergarten

The most important thing is often the carer: their warmth, experience and language.

We check how long the children spend outdoors, how naps work and how parents are told about illness.

A kindergarten close to the flat is better, because the morning journey with a small child is a daily test.

Kindergarten documents

A kindergarten often needs a birth certificate, a vaccination record and a medical certificate.

A foreign document needs a Georgian translation, sometimes with certification.

We arrange the paediatrician's certificate before enrolment.

A nanny

Some families need a nanny instead of, or alongside, a kindergarten.

We cover choosing a nanny in the family section.

A nanny is often also the child's first Georgian teacher.

A flat near the school

Many families choose the school first, and then a flat near it.

This shortens the daily journey and lets the child walk independently, as their age allows.

We cover the flat search on the rent-and-buy page.

Batumi and Kutaisi

In Batumi the choice of international schools is smaller, and in Kutaisi smaller still.

On the other hand, finding a place at private and public schools is often easier.

If the child's school is decisive, we research this before you choose a city.

University

Some Georgian universities also offer English-language programmes.

The admission rules for foreigners and Georgians are often different.

We plan the choice of higher education separately, in direct contact with the university.

Timing

For an international school it is often better to apply months before the school year starts.

In public schools and kindergartens the enrolment periods are often fixed.

Preparing documents, especially the apostille, should start before you arrive.

Common mistakes

Signing a flat contract before choosing a school, in a distant neighbourhood.

Previous school documents not collected before leaving.

Relying on a single school without allowing for the waiting list.

What we need from you

The children's ages, language of study, previous curriculum and year group.

Special needs, allergies and the child's interests.

The city, arrival date, budget and how long you are staying.

Cost

The school sets the tuition fee, the registration fee, transport and meals.

Translation, apostille and tutoring are separate lines.

Our help is agreed in advance, and we take no commission from schools.