The FINANCIAL — On average 50% of undergraduate students at leading Georgian private universities manage to combine paid work with studying for their degree, according to the latest survey conducted by The FINANCIAL at the leading universities in Tbilisi.
The FINANCIAL — On average 50% of undergraduate students at leading Georgian private universities manage to combine paid work with studying for their degree, according to the latest survey conducted by The FINANCIAL at the leading universities in Tbilisi.
The majority of Master’s students are employed. The average salary of BA programme students is GEL 500, while Master’s students earn around GEL 2,000 a month.
Undergraduate employees tend to spend their salaries on food, transport and communication costs, while graduates allow themselves the relative luxury of spending their salaries on phones, computers or even trips.
“Students in their first two to three years of a Bachelor’s degree tend to be very busy with studying and simply cannot find the time for a job. Of course there are a few exceptions. According to the current data, only 10% of third year students are employed compared to 56% of those in their fourth year. As for Master’s students, all are employed,” said Nata Bitskinashvili, Employment and Career Development Manager at Free University of Tbilisi.
According to Bitskinashvili, the average monthly salary of BA students is GEL 400-500; Master’s students earn ten times more.
“Undergraduate students spend their income mostly on everyday living costs. They are not able to fund their tuition fees with their salaries. They only just manage to buy food and cover the costs of everyday transport with what they earn. This does mean though that they are more independent as they do not have to rely totally on their parents even for pocket money. As Sunday is their only day off they tend to spend their money then, going out with friends,” Bitskinashvili said.
Free University of Tbilisi has 370 students enrolled in its BA programmes and 105 students enrolled in the Master’s programme at its business faculty. Out of those: 96 are freshmen, 119 are in the second year of their study, 83 – in their third year, and 72 – fourth year. Out of those doing Master’s programmes, the MBA 2011 comprises 35 students, 36 students are doing the MBA 2012, and 34 students – the MBA OM.
The tuition fee for BA programmes at Free University is GEL 6,950. For a Master’s programme the fee is EUR 6,600 per year.
“Our students are employed at various positions with international and local companies in almost every sector: the banking sector, telecommunications, audit companies (the Big Four) and others,” Bitskinashvili added.
While undergraduate students of Free University and Georgian American University are mostly focused on studying, 90% of Caucasus University students manage to combine both work and study.
“90% of our BA programme students are employed. As for MA students, the entire 100% are in employment. Our students mostly start working from the third and fourth year of their academic learning. Employers are generally more interested in students who are in the fourth year of their course as along with greater experience they also have more free time and a more flexible timetable, preferable for work,” said Khatia Jikia, Director of the Career Development and Alumni Relations Office at Caucasus University (CU).
CU has 879 students in its MBA programmes, 334 are taking their MA degree and 14 are doing a doctor’s degree.
The minimum tuition fee at CU is GEL 3,900, at Caucasus School of Tourism, and the maximum is GEL 7,500, at CSB. The minimum cost per one credit is GEL 70 and maximum – GEL 120.
“Our students mostly work in banks, insurance companies, consulting companies, sales, construction companies, IT supporting companies, transport companies, advertising companies, NGOs and international organizations,” Jikia said.
The average monthly wage of CU’s BA students is GEL 500, and GEL 800 for MA students.
“The majority of students questioned by us say that they spend their salaries on food, fuel and mobile phone charges. For those students who also get financial support from their parents it is largely possible to save money and arrange trips or purchase mobile phones, personal computers, and cameras with the additional help of bank credit. 20% of students surveyed say they are saving up money for the primary instalment needed for an auto loan,” Jikia noted.
Georgian American University (GAU) has 918 students on its Bachelor’s programs and 135 doing Master’s programs.
“Currently 50% of undergraduate students studying in their third year and 98% of fourth year students and graduates are employed, as for the MA degree students, all of them are employed,” said Tako Jibuti, Marketing and Career Services Manager at Georgian American University (GAU).
The annual tuition fee at the business school is GEL 5,900. Students are allowed to pay the fee over two terms. At the School of Law and Social Sciences, the annual tuition fee for a BA degree at the Faculty of Law is GEL 5,900; International Relations and Diplomacy program – GEL 4,900; the tuition fee at the School of Natural Sciences and Engineering – GEL 4,900.
According to Jibuti the majority of GAU’s students work at banks, insurance companies, audit companies, law bureaus, public structures and international organizations.
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