Bilingual Schools in Tbilisi: A 2026 Guide for Expat Families

Q: Is Georgian compulsory in international schools in Tbilisi?

In practice yes. Schools operating in Georgia are expected to teach Georgian language, and usually Georgian history and geography, to students enrolled long term. Intensity varies from two lessons a week to genuine partial immersion, so ask for the weekly timetable.

Q: How far ahead should we apply to a bilingual school in Tbilisi?

Aim for six to nine months before your intended start at the established campuses, and longer for francophone and selective options. Mid-year entry is possible because expat turnover is high, but popular year groups fill during the spring.

Quick answer: are there bilingual schools in Tbilisi? Yes. Most international schools in Tbilisi teach mainly in English while running compulsory Georgian language lessons, and several add Russian, French or German. Tuition for bilingual primary places runs roughly 8,000 to 30,000 GEL a year, with the deepest Georgian-English provision at QSI, Buckswood and New School.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Choosing between bilingual schools in Tbilisi is less about finding a school that teaches two languages and more about deciding which second language your family actually needs. Georgia's capital has grown into a genuine expat hub over the past decade, and the school market has followed: English-medium campuses with strong Georgian programmes, Russian-heritage schools with long local histories, and one or two genuinely francophone options. This guide explains how each model works in practice, what it costs in lari, and which schools are worth a first visit.

Why language choice matters more in Tbilisi than in most cities

Georgia is small, its language is spoken almost nowhere else, and its alphabet is unique. That combination changes the calculation for families. In Barcelona or Amsterdam, picking up the local language has obvious carry-over value. In Tbilisi, parents have to weigh integration and daily life against the international portability of the curriculum their child is following.

Most expat families in Tbilisi land in one of three positions. Short-stay families, typically two to three years on a posting, keep their children in fully English-medium programmes and treat Georgian as a cultural subject. Mixed families with one Georgian parent usually want real bilingual fluency and pick schools where Georgian is a language of instruction rather than a timetabled extra. Regional families, often from Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey, frequently want English plus maintenance of a home language, which is where the Russian-track and heritage schools still matter.

Geography helps narrow the list. Most international campuses sit in Vake and Saburtalo on the western side of the city, or out along the Kojori and Digomi roads where land was cheaper. Vake is the classic expat district and puts you within twenty minutes of nearly everything; the Kojori road campuses trade commute time for space and air quality. Traffic on Chavchavadze Avenue at 08:15 is the single biggest hidden cost of a Vake address.

The language models you will actually encounter

English-medium with compulsory Georgian. The default. Georgian language, and usually Georgian history and geography, are taught as required subjects under national rules for schools operating in Georgia. Depth varies enormously between two lessons a week and genuine partial immersion.
Georgian-English dual track. Content subjects split across both languages, generally heavier in Georgian in the primary years and shifting towards English for external exams. The realistic route to functional bilingualism.
English plus a third European language. French or German offered from primary, often to support families who expect to move on within Europe.
Russian as a maintenance language. Still widely available, usually as an additional-language track rather than a full curriculum stream, and more common in schools with long pre-2010 histories.
Full francophone provision. Limited and heavily oversubscribed, so places need to be secured a long way ahead.

Five schools in Tbilisi worth shortlisting

QSI International School of Tbilisi

The most established English-medium option in the city and the usual first stop for diplomatic and NGO families. Instruction is in English throughout with Georgian taught as a required language; the mastery-based system means children are placed by demonstrated level rather than strictly by age, which suits arrivals with patchy schooling histories. See the verified profile for QSI International School of Tbilisi.

New School International School of Georgia

New School has the strongest reputation locally for taking the Georgian side of bilingualism seriously rather than treating it as a compliance subject. Families who intend to stay beyond a single posting tend to end up here. Details on New School International School of Georgia.

Buckswood International School Tbilisi

A British-model campus on the outskirts with boarding capacity, which is unusual in Georgia and useful for regional families sending children from Azerbaijan or Armenia. English is the language of instruction and Georgian is embedded from primary. See Buckswood International School Tbilisi.

Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy in Tbilisi

Selective, American-curriculum and academically demanding, with a strong record of placing graduates at universities abroad. Entrance testing is real, so it is not a school to approach at short notice mid-year. Profile: Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy.

St George's British Georgian School

An English-Georgian school following a British structure, popular with mixed Georgian and international families who want both languages taken seriously. Smaller cohorts than the larger campuses, which some families prefer for younger children. See St George's British Georgian School.

What bilingual schooling costs in Tbilisi

Fees are quoted in Georgian lari, although some schools price in US dollars and convert. As a working range for 2026, expect roughly 8,000 to 14,000 GEL a year for bilingual early years and lower primary at mid-market schools, roughly 15,000 to 25,000 GEL for primary and lower secondary at the established international campuses, and roughly 25,000 to 40,000 GEL at the upper end of senior school, with boarding priced separately.

Budget separately for the items that are almost never in the headline figure:

Registration and one-off enrolment fees, typically 500 to 2,500 GEL and rarely refundable.
Entrance assessment fees for the selective schools.
Bus transport, which matters a great deal for the out-of-town campuses and can add 2,000 to 4,000 GEL a year.
Uniform, devices and textbooks, often billed in a single back-to-school invoice.
External examination entry fees in the final years.
Additional Georgian or English language support, which some schools charge for when a child arrives below the working level of the class.

One piece of hard context worth knowing: Georgia was granted European Union candidate status in December 2023. It has not changed school regulation, but it has visibly pushed demand for English and French provision among Georgian families who now plan for European universities, which in turn has tightened places in the exact schools expat families want.

Practical advice before you commit

Ask how many hours of each language your child will actually receive. Schools describe themselves as bilingual on very thin evidence. The useful question is how many timetabled hours per week are delivered in each language, and in which subjects. Two Georgian lessons a week is a cultural subject, not bilingual education, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you know which one you are buying.

Test the exit route, not the entry route. If your child will sit external examinations, confirm which ones the school is accredited to deliver on site and where students actually went over the last two graduating years. Schools in a growing market sometimes advertise programmes they are still in the process of authorising.

Visit in traffic. Do the commute from your likely neighbourhood at 08:00 on a weekday rather than at 11:00 on a tour day. In Tbilisi the difference is regularly thirty minutes each way, and it decides more school choices than curriculum ever does.

Compare the full ranking for Tbilisi

Once you have a shortlist, it is worth checking it against the independent ranking of schools in the city, which pulls together curriculum, languages, fees and parent feedback in one place: best international schools in Tbilisi.

More guides to schools in Tbilisi

Frequently asked questions

Is Georgian compulsory in international schools in Tbilisi?

In practice, yes. Schools operating in Georgia are expected to teach Georgian language, and usually Georgian history and geography, to students enrolled long term. What varies is intensity: some schools deliver two lessons a week, others build genuine partial immersion. Ask for the weekly timetable rather than the prospectus description.

Can my child learn Georgian from scratch at secondary age?

Yes, but expect conversational competence rather than academic fluency. Schools generally run beginner streams for later arrivals and do not expect them to sit Georgian-medium content subjects. Families who want full academic bilingualism normally need their child to start in the primary years.

How far ahead should we apply to a bilingual school in Tbilisi?

Aim for six to nine months before your intended start for the established campuses, and longer for the francophone and selective options. Mid-year entry is possible at several schools because expat turnover is high, but the most sought-after year groups fill during the spring for a September start.