Akaki Tsereteli State University MBBS: 2026 Guide

Akaki Tsereteli State University is a public university in Kutaisi, Georgia, that teaches a six-year Medical Doctor (MD) programme in English. Georgia's quality agency accredited the English MD until 22 June 2028. In the December 2025 FMGE, 30 of its 124 graduates passed, a 24.19 per cent pass rate.

Updated on 1 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Degree. The university awards a Medical Doctor (MD) degree, the Georgian equivalent of an Indian MBBS. It carries 360 ECTS credits over 12 semesters (ATSU MD programme document).

• Accreditation. Georgia's National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) accredited the English MD on 6 July 2021. The accreditation runs to 22 June 2028 (NCEQE accreditation record).

• FMGE results. Pass rates for the university's graduates sat between about 24 and 28 per cent from 2023 to 2025 (NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025).

• Entry. Indian students need NEET UG, a secondary school certificate, an online interview with the university and proof of B1 English.

• Clinical training. Students train at 12 hospitals and clinics in and around Kutaisi, listed by name in the programme document.

What is Akaki Tsereteli State University?

Akaki Tsereteli State University (ATSU) is a state university in Kutaisi, the main city of western Georgia. It reports more than 10,000 students, more than 65,000 graduates and about 1,500 staff (ATSU official website). For a wider view of the country, read our guide to MBBS in Georgia.

The university runs nine faculties plus a vocational education centre:

• Faculty of Medicine, which teaches the MD in English and in Georgian, plus dentistry.

• Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Pedagogy, for languages, history and teacher training.

• Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, for mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.

• Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences, for economics, law and related subjects.

• Faculties of Technical Engineering, Technological Engineering, Agriculture and Maritime Transport, the applied and engineering side of the university.

Akaki Tsereteli State University history

The university began as part of Tbilisi State University. Its official history page sets out the main dates.

The 1995 and 2012 dates come from the NCEQE accreditation expert report on the English MD. The report says the English programme had graduated three cohorts by 2021.

Is Akaki Tsereteli State University accredited?

Yes. In Georgia, every degree programme needs accreditation from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), the state quality agency. The English MD at Akaki Tsereteli State University holds NCEQE decision No. 680147 of 6 July 2021 (NCEQE accreditation record).

A conditional decision means the panel approved the programme and asked the university to report back on its recommendations. The panel's main points were more time with real patients, better final exams and tracking how graduates do in licensing exams abroad.

At the 2021 review, 322 students were enrolled on the English MD. They were taught by 61 staff: 20 academic staff and 41 invited lecturers (NCEQE expert report). Our guide on how to check NMC and WDOMS recognition explains the separate world directory check.

How long is the MBBS at Akaki Tsereteli State University?

The MD lasts six academic years, or 12 semesters. Each year carries 60 ECTS credits, and the course ends with a final qualification exam. The ATSU MD programme document splits the six years into four stages.

Teaching uses problem-based learning (PBL). Students work through a patient case in small groups instead of only attending lectures. The final exam has two parts: a written test worth 50 points and an OSCE, a practical exam at clinical stations, also worth 50 points.

Where do Akaki Tsereteli State University students train?

The ATSU MD programme document names 12 clinical bases with signed agreements:

• Evex Medical Corporation sites: Western Georgia Intervention Medicine Center, Imereti Regional Clinical Hospital, the Evex Training Center and St. Nicholas Surgical Center.

• Private hospitals: Beaumond, XXI Century, Tsagareishvili Medical Center and Hospital Medicalcity.

• Community and specialist care: Psychosocial Center, Nasarishvili Family Medicine Center and Kutaisi Children's Polyclinic No. 3.

• Diagnostics: West Regional Center of Modern Medical Technologies.

These hospitals are shared with the Georgian-language MD. The 2021 expert panel asked the university to give international students more time at the bedside.

Akaki Tsereteli State University admission requirements

Foreign students join without Georgia's Unified National Exams. The ATSU MD programme document sets these conditions:

1. School education. A secondary school certificate, or an equivalent qualification earned abroad.

2. Online interview. A successful online interview with Akaki Tsereteli State University.

3. English at B1 level. One of three routes: a recognised certificate (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English, UNIcert or EnglishScore), proof of English-medium schooling, or the university's own English test (listening, reading and speaking).

4. Ministry procedure. Enrolment follows the procedure and dates set by Georgia's Ministry of Education.

Indian students have one more condition. The NTA NEET (UG) 2026 information bulletin states that Indian citizens and OCI cardholders who want to study medicine abroad must qualify NEET UG. See our NEET UG guide and the NEET UG eligibility rules web story.

Akaki Tsereteli State University FMGE pass rate

FMGE, the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, is the screening test a foreign medical graduate must pass to work in India. NBEMS publishes results for each university (NBEMS FMGE page).

Roughly one graduate in four passes on each attempt. The table below compares this with all Georgia graduates and with the national result.

Akaki Tsereteli graduates did better than the national average in both 2025 sessions. In December 2025 they trailed the Georgia average by about eight points. Our FMGE pass rate guide and the country-wise FMGE pass rate web story cover other countries.

Can an Akaki Tsereteli State University graduate practise in India?

Yes, if the student meets every condition in the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021. These apply to anyone who started a foreign medical course after 18 November 2021:

• Course length: at least 54 months of medical study.

• Internship abroad: a 12-month internship at the same foreign institution, in addition to the course.

• Language: the degree taught in English. The ATSU MD is fully in English.

• Licence abroad: registration with the medical licensing body of Georgia, on the same terms as a Georgian citizen.

• Back in India: pass FMGE (or NExT once it replaces FMGE), then a 12-month supervised internship in India.

The licence condition matters in Georgia. Under Georgia's Law on Medical Practice, an MD graduate becomes a junior doctor first. The right to practise independently comes after residency and a unified state certification exam (ATSU MD programme document). Read which NMC rules apply to you for the full picture.

Does futureMBBS arrange admission to Akaki Tsereteli State University?

No. futureMBBS works with 23 partner universities in 9 countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Latvia, Romania, Cyprus and Lithuania. Georgia is not one of them. This guide is here so families researching Georgia have accurate figures. Our post on the drawbacks of MBBS in Georgia covers the constraints in more detail.

Conclusion: Akaki Tsereteli State University MBBS in 2026

Akaki Tsereteli State University offers a six-year English MD in Kutaisi, accredited in Georgia until June 2028. Its graduates pass FMGE at about one in four, close to the Georgia average and above the national figure. For an Indian student, two NMC conditions decide the outcome: a 12-month internship at the university, and a licence to practise in Georgia.

Sources

• Akaki Tsereteli State University: official history

• Akaki Tsereteli State University: official website (faculties and student numbers)

• ATSU One-cycle Medical Education Program “Medical Doctor” (English), programme document

• NCEQE accreditation record: ATSU Medical Doctor/PBL (English), decision No. 680147

• NCEQE accreditation expert group report on the ATSU English MD (2021)

• NBEMS FMGE Performance Report 2025 (June and December 2025 sessions)

• NBEMS country and institute-wise FMGE 2024 results

• NBEMS country and institute-wise FMGE 2023 results

• NBEMS FMGE examination page

• NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021

• NMC rules and regulations page

• NTA NEET (UG) 2026 information bulletin