Ilia State University (IliaUni) is a public research university in Tbilisi, and it runs its own scholarship for international students: a tuition fee-waiver of up to 50%, awarded on academic merit. It is partial funding, so you still pay the rest of your tuition and all your living costs. For a Pakistani student comparing Georgian options on a budget, that half-off ceiling can still change the maths. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide is about how the scheme actually works and whether it fits you.
The short version: this suits students with a strong academic record who want a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Georgia and can cover a meaningful part of the cost themselves. If you need a fully funded place with a stipend, this is the wrong scholarship.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Ilia State University (IliaUni), Tbilisi |
| Funding | Partial: tuition fee-waiver of up to 50% |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | All fields offered at IliaUni, including sciences, social sciences, business and engineering |
| Deadline | Varies by intake; check the current admission cycle with the international admissions office |
| Country | Georgia |
| Official site | iliauni.edu.ge |
A university-run waiver, not a government scheme
Many scholarships Pakistani students hear about are government-to-government programmes routed through an embassy or ministry. This one is different. IliaUni administers it directly, and both admission and the scholarship review are handled by the university's International Students and Program Marketing Office. Decisions come straight from the university.
In practice that tends to make the process faster and easier to follow. You are dealing with one office, and you can ask that office questions directly. It also means the rules can shift from one intake to the next, which is why the deadline and the exact application route are described as varying by intake.
The campus is genuinely international. IliaUni hosts more than 800 international students from over 65 countries, so you would not be the only foreigner in your classes.
What "up to 50%" means for your budget
Read the phrase carefully. "Up to 50%" is a ceiling, not a promise. The waiver is awarded competitively, based on comparative academic merit, so some successful applicants may receive less than the maximum. Plan your finances as if you might get a smaller reduction, and treat the full 50% as the best case.
Here is what the scheme includes, based on what the university describes:
- A tuition fee-waiver of up to 50%, awarded on merit
- Access to IliaUni's international student support services and career and internship guidance
- Once enrolled, the right to apply separately for Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility placements at partner European universities
Nothing in the scheme covers living costs, accommodation, flights or a monthly allowance. Georgia's cost of living is low compared with Western Europe, but low is not zero. You will need to show you can pay the remaining tuition and support yourself, and that matters for the visa as well. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds is a good place to start planning that side.
The Erasmus+ angle
IliaUni takes part in the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility programme, which provides fully funded individual mobility to partner universities in Europe. This is a separate track. It is not part of the tuition waiver, and you can only apply once you are enrolled. Still, for a student who wants some time in a European university during their degree, it is a real advantage over Georgian universities that offer no such route. Exchange windows can be competitive and time-bound, so start looking early in your studies.
Eligibility and the merit question
The scholarship is open to international students. The listed requirements are:
- Completed secondary education for a Bachelor's, or a relevant prior degree for a Master's or PhD
- A strong academic transcript, since the award is competitive
- Meeting IliaUni's admission requirements for your chosen programme
- English or Georgian proficiency, depending on the programme's language of instruction
- A valid passport
No specific grade cut-off or test score is published. That makes it harder to judge your chances, and it means the comparison is against other applicants in the same intake. If your grades are average, the waiver is far from certain, and you should budget for full fees. Pakistani applicants fall under the international student category, but it is sensible to confirm with the international office that nothing in the current cycle restricts your nationality or programme.
One more point for anyone thinking about medicine or engineering. The university's eligible fields are listed as all programmes it offers, with sciences, social sciences, business and engineering named. Before you apply to a professional programme, ask the university directly about its accreditation and recognition status. This is the question many students forget, and it matters more than the waiver if you plan to practise back in Pakistan.
Paperwork to prepare
The document list is short:
- IliaUni international student application form
- Academic transcripts and certificates, attested or translated as required
- Valid passport copy
- Passport-sized photographs
- Language proficiency certificate, if your programme needs one
- Statement of purpose or motivation letter
The motivation letter is listed as recommended rather than required. Write one anyway. When a scholarship is decided on comparative merit, a clear, specific statement of purpose is one of the few places where you can argue your case beyond your grades. Recommendation letters also help build the academic file the university looks at.
For Pakistani transcripts, "attested or translated as required" usually means you should sort out attestation before the intake opens rather than during it. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains that process.
How the application actually runs
- Go through IliaUni's international admissions page and pick a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD programme.
- Submit the standard university application with your transcripts and other documents.
- Indicate that you want to be considered for the tuition fee-waiver, either as part of the admission application or straight after it, following the instructions for the current cycle.
- Wait for the competitive review. The International Students and Program Marketing Office communicates the scholarship decision.
- If you are admitted and awarded the waiver, complete your visa formalities and pre-arrival registration.
- Once enrolled, look into Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility if you want an exchange semester later.
Step 3 is where applicants slip up. Whether there is a separate scholarship form depends on the intake. Do not assume ticking a box is enough. Email the international office and ask directly whether your intake needs a separate scholarship application.
Useful official pages:
Why there is no fixed deadline
There is no single published deadline. Applications open according to each intake, and scholarship decisions come after the admission review. That flexibility sounds convenient, but it can catch people out. Because the waiver is awarded on comparative merit within an intake, applying early in the cycle is the safer approach. Confirm the exact dates for your intake on the official portal before you start collecting documents, then work backwards from them.
Where students go wrong
The most common mistake is budgeting on the assumption of a full 50% waiver. Plan for less and treat anything more as a bonus.
The second is treating IliaUni like the Georgian universities that market heavily to MBBS applicants. Some of those offer little or no scholarship support, so comparing on headline fees alone misses the point. IliaUni's advantage is that it has a documented, university-run scheme. Compare total cost after the likely waiver, and check programme recognition for your field.
The third is a thin application. Students sometimes submit transcripts only and skip the motivation letter and references. With a merit-based award, that leaves the reviewers with less to go on than other candidates provide.
Finally, remember the visa. A scholarship letter for partial funding does not replace proof that you can cover everything else. If you are worried about this stage, read our breakdown of common student visa rejection reasons.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Ilia State University scholarship cover?
It is a tuition fee-waiver of up to 50%, awarded competitively on academic merit. It does not cover living costs, so you need your own funds for the remaining tuition and daily expenses.
Can I apply for a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD?
Yes. The waiver is available to applicants at all three levels, across the programmes IliaUni offers.
Do I apply through the embassy?
No. You apply directly to the university. IliaUni's International Students and Program Marketing Office handles admission and the scholarship review.
Is there a separate scholarship form?
It depends on the intake. You indicate interest as part of, or right after, the admission application, according to the current cycle's instructions. Contact the international office to confirm what your intake requires.
Can I spend time in Europe during my degree?
Enrolled students can apply separately for Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility placements at partner European universities. This is a different programme from the tuition waiver and has its own competitive selection.
Before applying, check the current intake dates and scholarship instructions on the official IliaUni website, and keep the Ilia State University scholarship page handy for the key details.