Georgian American University

What Georgian American University does

Georgian American University (GAU) is a private higher education institution founded in 2005 and headquartered at Merab Aleksidze Street 10 in Tbilisi, Georgia. It operates five academic schools — Business; Law, Social Sciences and Diplomacy; Informatics and Engineering; Humanities and Liberal Education; and Medical — along with supporting units including a Career Center, Library, and GeoLab research arm. The institution serves approximately 2,607 active students (2023-2024 academic year) with 520 academic staff and 172 administrative staff, achieving a 10:1 student-to-lecturer ratio that compares favorably to the OECD average of 15.

GAU's core product is degree-granting higher education across undergraduate (240-credit, 4-year programs), master's (120-credit, 2-year), and doctoral levels, with undergraduate tuition at 4,500 GEL per year and master's tuition at 4,200 GEL per year. Revenue is generated through tuition (subscription-style, paid semesterly), short-term professional certificates (AML, GDP, internal auditing, digital photography), medical residency programs, and corporate/professional development contracts. Recruitment of Georgian citizens flows through the state's unified national examination system (Erist Khani) where applicants list GAU as a priority choice, while international students apply via a separate track supported by an English-language bachelor's program launched in 2017.

The go-to-market combines sales-led domestic recruitment through Erist Khani, partnership-led international expansion via Erasmus+ mobility agreements (VSB Ostrava, Rome Tor Vergata), US partner university relationships (Park, Fordham, American, Webster, Masaryk), a Double Degree MBA with IPAG Business School (France), and a mission-driven segment via UNHCR for refugee education. Distribution is single-campus in Tbilisi, supplemented by partner-mediated geographic reach. Marketing relies on national exam listings, news/event publishing, and an active social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram). The university is founder-controlled with R. Michael Cowgill as President and reports no external parent, VC, or PE ownership.

Name

Georgian American University

Legal name

Georgian American University

Website

https://gau.edu.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Georgian American University is a private higher education institution founded in 2005 in Tbilisi, Georgia, operating five academic schools and serving roughly 2,600 students through degree programs, certificates, and international Erasmus+ partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International & Global Research Universities (Multi-Campus/International Footprint) (EDAHABAI), STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Higher education
• University degree programs
• Business school education
• Medical school education
• Professional academic training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tbilisi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate tuition: Annual tuition for undergraduate programs (e.g., International Relations and Diplomacy): 4,500 GEL per year, paid in two installments before each semester. Students must accumulate 240 credits for qualification.
2. Graduate tuition: Annual tuition for master's programs: 4,200 GEL per year. Students must accumulate 120 credits for qualification. Doctoral programs available.
3. Certificate programs: Short-term certificate courses in areas including AML (Anti-Money Laundering), GDP (Good Distribution Practice), internal auditing, and others. These are professional development offerings.
4. Residency programs: Medical residency programs including Psychiatry residency with 2 designated positions, requiring completion of post-diploma qualification exams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Georgian American University is a private higher education institution based in Tbilisi, Georgia, founded in 2005 by Georgian and American investors. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across five academic schools: Business, Law/Social Sciences/Diplomacy, Informatics and Engineering, Humanities, and Medical. The university serves approximately 2,617 active students with 520 academic staff and 172 administrative personnel.

Product overview

Georgian American University (GAU) is a higher education institution established in 2005 serving international educational standards. The university operates five academic schools: Business School (offering BBA, MBA, PhD programs with Computational and QUANTS tracks), School of Law/Social Sciences/Diplomacy (Law, International Relations, European Integration programs), School of Informatics and Engineering, School of Humanities and Liberal Education, and Medical School. Additionally, GAU provides short-term certificate courses for professional development and continuing education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business School Programs
• School of Law, Social Sciences and Diplomacy Programs
• School of Informatics and Engineering Programs
• School of Humanities Programs
• Medical School Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 92%+ employment rate among graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VSB Technical University OstravacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Erasmus+ funded exchange program for academic staff. GAU Business School faculty can participate in international week and deliver lectures. Funding covers 170 EUR daily allowance and 395 EUR travel costs. Duration: October 12-17, 2026. Requires B2 English proficiency.
• PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) - Germany's National Metrology InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026PTB publication presentation on 'Global Challenge to Quality: National Quality Infrastructure' hosted at GAU. GAU Informatics and Engineering School organized the Georgian-language version launch. Publication serves as educational resource for students and quality management professionals.
• University of Rome Tor VergatacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Erasmus+ student exchange program for 2026-2027 fall semester. Available for Engineering, Medical, English Philology, and Business Administration bachelor programs (2nd-6th semester students). Free tuition; 850 EUR monthly allowance plus travel reimbursement. Requires B2 English or Italian.
• UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Partnership for refugee education and integration. GAU hosts certificate programs including digital photography course 9th cohort graduation. Photo exhibition 'Georgia - My New Home, Away from Home' displayed refugee and displaced youth photography. GAU President Michael Cowgill attended the event with UNHCR representatives.
• IPAG Business School (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble Degree MBA program offering students credentials from both GAU and IPAG Business School in France. Enables international degree recognition and cross-cultural business education.
• US Partner Universities (Park University, Fordham University, American University, Webster University, Masaryk University)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple US universities accepting GAU students through exchange programs. Special prep program for top students targeting admission to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, NYU, Chicago and other leading US universities with full scholarship opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ilia State University: Major public research university in Tbilisi with strong social sciences, law, and business programs. Competes for the same domestic student pool as GAU across multiple schools.
• Georgian Technical University: Public technical university in Tbilisi covering engineering, construction, and informatics. Overlaps with GAU's School of Informatics and Engineering for the same domestic students.
• Tbilisi State University (TSU): Flagship public research university in Georgia with extensive program breadth and large scale. While public and tuition-subsidized, it sets the benchmark for academic quality and competes for top Georgian students that GAU targets via the TOP Grant.

Direct peers

• International Black Sea University (IBSU): Private Tbilisi-based university offering English-language undergraduate and graduate programs with international faculty. Direct peer in size, market, and private international-education positioning.
• Free University of Tbilisi: Private, English-language, research-oriented university in Tbilisi founded in 2007 with strong international partnerships. Most directly comparable private Georgian university to GAU by mission, size, and international positioning.
• Caucasus University: One of the larger private multi-school universities in Tbilisi with a similar broad disciplinary portfolio. Comparable peer in the same domestic market with overlapping program offerings.
• IPAG Business School: French business school with which GAU operates a double-degree MBA. Direct peer and partner in international business education delivery and pricing.
• European University (Georgia): Private Tbilisi-based university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across business, law, and social sciences. Directly competes with GAU in the same Georgian private-university segment.

Regional players

• Park University (US): US university named as a GAU exchange partner. Comparable by virtue of operating an international pathway for Georgian students and the same business/social science curriculum overlap.
• Webster University Georgia Campus: US-based Webster University's Tbilisi campus, one of GAU's named US partner universities. Comparable international-standard English-language institution operating in the same Georgia market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GAUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/GeorgianAmericanUniversity

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Georgian American University