The study investigates the chances of gaining admission to Georgian higher education in relation to residential origin. The analysis of broad trends is combined with details from an in-depth individual-level inquiry. Qualitative data on the entire population of 150,000 applicants over the period 2005-9, together with interview data from a purposive sample of families and policy makers, are examined. Findings indicate that urban applicants, consistently score higher on university entrance exams compared to rural applicants, and their odds of gaining university admission are 1.22 times higher. Among those with the same measured aptitude, rural applicants are 12 times more likely to apply to one of the least prestigious higher education institutions than are applicants from urban areas.