Studying in the USA from Georgia: Admission, Visa, and Cost Guide
By Muntasir • Published Sep 18, 2026 • Updated Sep 20, 2026
Getting from Georgia to a US campus takes three separate steps: get admitted, pay the SEVIS and visa fees and clear an interview at the embassy in Tbilisi, then budget for a cost of attendance that averages $49,080 a year at a public out-of-state university and $62,570 at a private one.
🎓 Apply directly to US universities, most Georgian applicants use a NACES credential evaluation for their Atestati and university transcripts.
📩 Your school issues Form I-20 only after you show proof of funds for one year of study.
💵 Government fees before you travel run about $535: a $350 SEVIS fee plus a $185 visa fee, with a separate $250 integrity fee rolling out at some posts.
🛂 Book your interview at the US Embassy Tbilisi through ustraveldocs.com and expect an in-person interview even for a renewal.
In 2022/23, 832 students from Georgia studied in the US, up from 662 the year before.
The path from Georgia to a US degree, in order
You apply to and get admitted by a US university first. Only after you accept an offer and prove you can cover the cost does the university issue Form I-20, the document that lets you apply for an F-1 student visa. The visa step happens last, and it depends entirely on having that I-20 in hand. Treat these as sequential, not parallel, when you build your own timeline.
What US universities want from a Georgian applicant
Georgia's secondary school system awards an Atestati (certificate of completion) after 12 years of school. US admissions offices read this the same way they read any other country's secondary leaving certificate, as proof you finished secondary education, alongside your grades. Universities that require standardized testing accept SAT or ACT scores, though a large share of US schools are now test-optional, so check each university's own admissions page rather than assuming a test is required.
Most schools ask for an English proficiency score (IELTS, TOEFL iBT, or Duolingo English Test) unless your prior instruction was fully in English. Many graduate programs, and some undergraduate programs, also ask for a course-by-course credential evaluation of your Georgian transcripts from a NACES member evaluator , which translates your grades into the US GPA scale so an admissions committee can read them directly.
Application timeline
| Timing before intended start | What to do |
|---|---|
| 10-12 months | Shortlist universities, register for IELTS or TOEFL, start a NACES credential evaluation if your target schools ask for one |
| 8-10 months | Write your statement of purpose or essays, request recommendation letters, submit applications |
| 4-6 months | Receive admission decisions, accept an offer, submit financial documents, receive Form I-20 |
| 2-4 months | Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, complete Form DS-160, book your visa interview in Tbilisi |
| 0-1 month | Attend your interview, book flights no earlier than 30 days before your program start date |
The F-1 visa step from Georgia
Once you hold Form I-20, pay the I-901 SEVIS fee, $350 for F-1 students, through FMJfee.com . Next, complete Form DS-160 online and pay the MRV visa application fee, $185, which is non-refundable whether the visa is approved or refused (travel.state.gov ). Book your interview appointment through ustraveldocs.com/ge , the official scheduling site for the US Embassy Tbilisi, and check that page directly for current appointment availability since wait times shift throughout the year.
A separate $250 visa integrity fee became law in mid-2025 and, as of August 2026, some consular posts have started collecting it at the point a visa is issued, on top of the SEVIS and MRV fees (Boston University ISSO ). Since September 2025, the State Department also requires an in-person interview for nearly all F-1 applicants, including renewals, so budget time for an embassy visit even if you have held a US visa before (travel.state.gov ). Since June 2025, consular officers also review applicants' public social media activity as part of screening, so set your profiles to public and list every platform you have used in the past five years on your DS-160 (travel.state.gov ). Confirm all of this against the US Embassy Tbilisi visas page before your interview, since procedures at individual posts change.
What a US degree actually costs
Cost varies enormously by school type. For 2025-26, the College Board reports an average total cost of attendance, tuition, fees, housing, food, and books combined, of $49,080 a year at public four-year universities for out-of-state and international students, and $62,570 a year at private nonprofit four-year colleges (College Board Trends in College Pricing ). These are national averages. Community colleges and public universities outside major cities often cost well below the public average, while flagship research universities and coastal private schools often cost above it.
| Institution type | Average annual cost of attendance, 2025-26 |
|---|---|
| Public four-year, out-of-state/international rate | $49,080 |
| Private nonprofit four-year | $62,570 |
Form I-20 lists your specific school's estimated one-year cost, and your school will not issue it until you document funds covering that figure, usually through a bank statement or a signed sponsor affidavit plus the sponsor's own bank records. Schools generally expect proof for the first year only, since later years can draw on renewed sponsor documents, a scholarship, or on-campus work once you are enrolled.
Undergraduate versus graduate applications
Undergraduate applicants mostly apply through the Common App or the Coalition App, which let you send one core application and essay to many schools plus a school-specific supplement. Graduate applicants apply directly through each university's own portal, with a statement of purpose written for that specific department, a resume or CV, and often a writing sample or research proposal. Admissions committees at the graduate level read your statement of purpose against the faculty and research areas in that department, so a generic essay sent to every school weakens a graduate application more than an undergraduate one.
A community college is a lower-cost route into the same system. Many community colleges cost well below the public four-year average above, and a two-year associate degree can transfer into a four-year bachelor's program through an articulation agreement. This path works well if you want to control cost in your first two years while still finishing at a four-year university.
Work rules while you study
F-1 status allows on-campus work up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session, and full-time during official school breaks. Off-campus work is not permitted in your first academic year. After that, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) lets you take paid work tied directly to your degree while enrolled, and Optional Practical Training (OPT) lets you work in your field for up to 12 months after graduation, extended to 36 months total for many STEM degrees. Your school's international student office authorizes both CPT and OPT, so start that conversation with them early rather than assuming eligibility.
Health insurance and arrival
Most US universities require international students to enroll in a university-sponsored or approved health insurance plan before classes start, and some also require specific immunization records before you can register for courses. These requirements differ by school and by state, so check your admitted school's international student office page directly. Do not arrive in the US more than 30 days before your program start date on I-20, and carry your I-20, admission letter, and financial documents in your hand luggage, a Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry will ask to see them.
How many Georgian students actually make this move
In 2022/23, the most recent year with published data, 832 students from Georgia studied at US institutions, up from 662 the year before, placing Georgia 89th among all places of origin for international students in the US. Most Georgian students land at doctoral universities (71.3 percent of the total) rather than smaller colleges, and the top receiving states are New York, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Illinois (IIE Open Doors ).
Before you commit
Confirm your target school's total cost of attendance and any international-student aid directly on its website, since the national averages above will not match every school. Start your credential evaluation and English test early, both take weeks to schedule and complete. Once you have Form I-20 in hand, move through the SEVIS fee, DS-160, and interview booking without delay, since visa appointment slots in Tbilisi fill up during peak application months.