The process of social and cultural adaptation of foreign students is one of the key factors in their successful study in educational institutions of the Russian Federation. In the era of globalization, the concept and issues of acculturation need to be explored and studied. The growth in the number of foreign students forces us to think of new methods of helping students adapt to the environment, or improve the existing ones. The subject seems to be rather complex, thus, the theory and practice of determining the specifics of intercultural adaptation of representatives of different cultures are on the way to their formation. As a result, the scientists have no unified approach to the use of diagnostic tools, which makes it possible to effectively research various aspects of the intercultural adaptation of foreign students in the process of their study in Russia. The authors conducted a survey of foreign students studying the programme “Pedagogical Education” at the Elabuga Institute of Kazan Federal University, which made it possible to identify the main problems that arise during the integration of students into the new culture: domestic problems – 61 %, financial issues – 56 %, getting used to another culture – 66 %, problems of communication – 81 %. Only 13 % of the respondents claim that they have no problems in adaptation. The results of the survey helped to develop a programme aimed at solving the problems of adaptation of foreign students in the period of their study at the university. The developed adaptation programme, which includes such aspects, as museum education, social networking, club activities, and the course “Culture of Russian Oral Communication”, can positively affect the level of adaptation of foreign students in a foreign country. The study of this process allows developing methods of interaction with foreign students that increase the efficiency of work in the process of acculturation.