INfORMATION FOR INDIAN STUDENTS WISHING TO STUDY IN GEORGIA

Imp. Information for Students willing to Study Medicine in Georgia

• Armenia & Georgia offer higher education in medical, technical and humanitarian sciences.
• Indian Students seeking admission in the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU), Armenia or Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU), are informed that the Medical Council of India (MCI) recognizes ONLY the MBBS degree. On completion of degree course at YSMU or TSMU, Indian students are required to clear the screening test conducted by MCI and to receive the certificate for medical practice in India as MBBS doctors.
• It is mandatory that all the Certificates and mark sheets issued in India are to be apostilled at Ministry of External Affairs (CPV Division Patiala House), New Delhi for seeking admission.
• For clarification on eligibility certificate, please contact the Medical Council of India [Shri A.P. Baluni, Section Officer, Tel: 2536 7321; email: eligibility@mciindia.org].
• YSMU in Armenia and TSMU in Georgia are only universities which are controlled by respective Governments.There are some privately owned medical universities in both these countries whose credentials are not known.
• Indian Students are also hereby informed that the National Polytechnic and Architecture University of Armeniaoffers B.E., M.E. degrees & Ph.D. which are not recognized in India presently. However, an Inter-government agreement on mutual recognition of post graduate degrees & diploma with Armenia is under consideration. 
• Both Armenia and Georgia are cold countries. The temperature from mid November till mid-March dips below zero (-1 to -15 degree Celsius). The students are advised to equip themselves with sufficient woolen clothing and winter shoes.

Before leaving India

• Browse through the websites of YSMU & TSMU attentively.
• It is in the interest of aspiring students who wish to study in these universities to do thorough survey & satisfy themselves about the credibility of courses offered by these universities and also about their agents involved, if any. Some of the self-styled agencies of these Universities are advertising through their own website (s) and/or through electronic and print media and offering admission in these universities. These advertisements do not often present correct picture and in most of the cases, they are exaggerated. Please thoroughly crosscheck the authenticity of information circulated by them.
• Get full and accurate details of actual costs involved such as Tuition Fee/Boarding/Lodging/Other Expenses. Also cross check and verify what the agent quotes. Both in Armenia and Georgia, in addition to tuition fee, a minimum US$ 300-400 per month is required to meet expenditure on accommodation, food, cell phone and other personal needs.
• Students must check in advance the availability hostel facilities at the University where they are seeking admission. Presently, TSMU in Georgia doesn’t run its own hostels for students while in YSMU in Armenia offers hostels to new entrants. If deficit arises, senior (foreign) students are normally advised to move out of hostel and to arrange accommodation for self outside the campus. Students are also expected to make their own arrangements for food, if they wish. Some small eateries are available around hostels. 
• Some Indian restaurants are available in Yerevan and Tbilisi which are owned by local Indian businessmen at affordable rates.
• Any student during the stay in Armenia/Georgia requires treatment for any complicated ailment/major surgery and etc, he/she is advised to go to India or elsewhere.

On arrival in Armenia/Georgia

• Both Armenia and Georgia are fairly safe, secured and friendly towards Indian nationals. There is a great deal of goodwill for India. However, caution is very essential for foreigners particularly students while spending late night hours in public places and mingling with strangers. 
• All Indian nationals including students coming to Armenia and Georgia for long term stay are advised to register themselves with the Indian Embassy in Yerevan immediately upon arrival.
• Always keep a list of important telephone numbers and copies of your passport, visa endorsement and residence permit, and University ID Card with you in person. Police authorities on streets may demand these documents any time for verification. 
• Passport and original testimonials are the property of the concerned student and should not be given to agents or any other authorities for safe custody. It is the personal responsibility of individual concerned to keep the passports and testimonials safely.
• Ensure that visa formalities are arranged by respective authorities in the university well in advance to avoid last minute hassles. Before exiting Armenia or Georgia for short term vacation or leave, ensure that the visa is sufficiently validated to re-enter these countries.

On completion of course

• Once the course is completed, all the degrees, certificates awarded by Universities in Armenia and Georgia are required to be apostilled with the Ministries of Education of these countries. This requirement is mandatory before their submission to Indian organizations such as MCI and other State Medical Councils etc. for registration purposes.
• India, Armenia and Georgia are signatories to the “Hague Convention” on Apostille. If the certificates and degrees are issued in these countries are apostlled, then there is no need for further attestation by the Embassy of India in Yerevan. For more information, please click on the following link:
  http://mea.gov.in/apostille.htm

Part-time job prospects 

• Part–time jobs are available in Georgia.