In 1991, Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union, transitioning to a parliamentary republic by 2018. The value of education is enshrined in the country’s constitution, which was implemented in 1995.

Facts About Higher Education in Armenia

1. Legal Bases for Education in Armenia: Article 38 of the Constitution of Armenia prescribes compulsory education, free of charge through the secondary level. Education within state higher-level institutions and other vocational education institutions is free on a competitive basis. Armenia’s Law on Education (1999) and its Law on General Education (2009) provide details that support the educational mandate. 
2. There is limited accessibility to higher education for poor students: College tuition and housing costs are rising. Even the free state schools involve costs—clothing and supplies, plus fees associated with tuition. Indirect costs often include the financial need for children from poor families to stay home to help with work. And for poor rural students who happen to live in a region without a university, moving to a city would add to their financial burden. The 2022 Armenian poverty rate was 24.8%, which means that higher education can be prohibitive for almost a quarter of the population.  
3. Armenia’s expenditure on education has remained relatively low compared to international standards. According to the World Bank, education accounted for 9.7% of total government expenditure in 2022, up from 8.9% in 2017 but still well below UNESCO’s recommended 15–20% benchmark.
4. Armenia has numerous institutions of higher education: Armenia is home to 25 state universities and 33 licensed private higher educational institutions. These opportunities comprise universities, institutes, academies and a conservatory. State universities include a medical university, an engineering university, a linguistic university and a University of Economy. International universities include the French University, American University, European Regional Educational Academy, the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and others. 
5. Armenia participates in an international collaborative to support higher education: The Bologna Process is an intergovernmental higher education reform initiative, currently with 49 member countries, designed to address the quality and recognition of European higher education systems, which would enhance and facilitate European and international educational exchange and collaboration. It led to the establishment of the European Higher Education Area in 2010 and facilitates the “convergence of structural reforms on issues including quality assurance, recognition and mobility.” Armenia’s participation as a full member since 2005 signifies the value of education and education partners to Armenia. 
6. Armenia is developing a “transformative” hub for education and innovation. Armenia’s Academic City project is engaging partnerships with leading global institutions—universities, research centers, private sector companies, industry experts, government bodies—to create an education, research and innovation environment for students, scholars and professionals to work together. The Armenian Government created the Academic City Fund in April 2023, and began by selecting a site, conducting a needs assessment and meeting with stakeholders, with continuing development activities since then. In October 2025, the country will host a two-day International Knowledge Forum that will include sessions on global trends in higher education, the digital transformation of academia, university-industry collaboration, universities and regional development and lifelong and “flexible” learning. Armenia’s focus on higher education is thus two-pronged: building an innovative educational structure for the future, while tackling access to higher education for those with limited resources.

– Staff Reports
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