According to a government decree published on 30 July, the new financing model consists of two components: guaranteed basic funding and merit-based state funding. Under the new rules, students will automatically receive full state funding during their first two semesters. ‘For the first time in Georgia, higher education in state universities will be free for students’, Kobakhidze told reporters. In 2027, total state funding for higher education is expected to reach ₾170 million ($65 million). The funding changes are part of a broader package of higher education reforms announced by the government in July 2026.