Georgia to introduce Georgian-language exam for non-Georgian speakers
Georgian language exam
The Georgian Dream party government has announced that, for the first time in Georgia’s education system, a state-language exam will be held in 2026 for non-Georgian speakers. The party’s education minister, Givi Mikanadze, said registration for the exam will open on 24 November and close on 1 December.
Mikanadze added that in most countries around the world, state-language exams are used to issue certificates of language proficiency that are officially recognised.
This is particularly important for international students, foreign citizens eligible to work in the public sector, Georgians living abroad, and non-Georgian-speaking staff in the business sector.
The state-language exam aims to strengthen the status of Georgian as the official language and expand its use. In line with the 2023–2024 State Language Strategy Action Plan, the National Assessment and Examinations Center has prepared an exam fully aligned with international standards. The test will now be held several times a year and will assess four competencies: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
At this stage, two tests of different difficulty levels will be offered: the first will assess A1 and A2 levels, while the second will cover B1 and B2 levels, determined by the score achieved.
“From 2030, alongside levels A1, A2, B1, and B2, we also plan to introduce exams for C1 and C2 levels, and work on this is actively ongoing,” Mikanadze said.
According to Mikanadze, registration for the Georgian language exam will only be possible online via the National Assessment and Examinations Center registration page at online.naec.ge.
For visually impaired and blind candidates, the exam will provide materials in Braille or a specialized electronic program.
The State Language Department will issue a certificate confirming the candidate’s level of proficiency in the official language, based on the exam results.
Georgian language exam
