The adaptation of foreign students (including those of Muslim faith) and their studies in Tatarstan are inextricably linked. It should be borne in mind that, as a rule, the majority of students in groups where foreign students study are citizens of Russia. Their interaction during study and outside of it is one of the most important criteria for successful adaptation. During their studies, foreigners get acquainted with local customs, norms, values and the willingness of their classmates (or other students) to accept them into their team is an integral part of mastering local culture. The key component of successful training of foreign students is their emotional and psychological state, which is formed under the influence of various factors: satisfaction with housing conditions, interaction with classmates, teachers and the local population, the ability to satisfy their religious needs, etc. All this is at the same time an important factor in the adaptation of students. While living in Tatarstan, foreign students face various problems in the course of adaptation. This is both a problem with the command of the Russian language, and difficulties in understanding Russian culture (which is especially important for students who came not from the post-Soviet countries). In addition, difficulties may arise due to the negative attitude of the host party (i.e. the local population). All this, as well as a number of other factors, affect the success of the adaptation of foreign students. What can the failure of adaptation lead to? The variability here is significant: they can join the ranks of various destructive groups (ranging from criminal to religious extremists), another strategy option is to reject and limit ties only with representatives of their community. Having failed to find a place in the host society, they can, after leaving Tatarstan and returning to their homeland, influence the formation of a negative image of Tatarstan and Russia, which has far-reaching negative consequences both for the region and for the country as a whole. On the contrary, successful adaptation and communicative openness will contribute to the formation of a positive image of Tatarstan and Russia abroad. The study used a mass questionnaire survey. The survey was conducted in 4 largest universities by the number of foreign students: K (P) FU (Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University), KNITU-KAI (Kazan National Research Technical University named after A. N. Tupolev), KNITU-KHTI (Kazan National Research Technological University) and KSMU (Kazan State Medical University). 843 students from various countries were interviewed: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, as well as from Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, Algeria, etc.). The results of the study showed that after moving to Tatarstan, the religious life of the respondents slightly changed. The frequency of visits to religious institutions, the activity of conducting religious rites (including the reading of prayer) has changed. In general, students are satisfied with the muslim infrastructure and the attitude towards them in the region, however, some groups of the host community cause less trust among the respondents. At the same time, the majority of respondents have not faced the problem of harassment in the sphere of religion in Tatarstan, and they have confidence in religious institutions and clergy.