The problem studied in the article is caused by the need to develop creative sectors of the Russian economy and generate innovative processes in all spheres of life, which require creating conditions for creative self-realization for both women and men equally. The article is devoted to the identification of the connection between students' attitudes to creative activity and their life and professional values, special attention is paid to the search for gender differences in creative attitudes of students. The empirical base of the study is the data from a survey conducted in 2024 among Russian university students (n=750). The results of the study identified the priority of essential terminal motivation of creative activity due to the high importance of self-actualization values in the structure of life and professional values of students. The following gender features of attitudes toward creative activity among students were identified: women are more involved in the development of creative projects and advanced training at courses and trainings, men – in programming, mastering and improving technologies; women are more often involved in the manifestation of creativity in creative hobbies, education, social and civic activism, men – in scientific research, politics and management. It is concluded that the institutional conditions existing in Russian society and gender role stereotypes rooted in the public consciousness influence the nature of women’s creative attitudes and their choice of areas for realizing their creative potential. Gender asymmetry in areas of employment and the “closedness” of women’s access to areas such as management and politics do not contribute to women’s desire to show their potential in them.