The new stage in the development of society, changes in the requirements for the higher education system put forward special opportunities to the formation of future specialists. Fundamental disciplines, which include the basic educational content of the higher education system, play a decisive role in realizing such opportunities. The result of higher education is the comprehensive development of students' cognitive actions.The scientific and cognitive potential of the student is explained as a personal quality that organizes the totality of systemic scientific and professional knowledge, as well as the skills of transformation and application of scientific methods of cognition and scientific research; how to learn ways to work with large-scale scientific information, self-development and take the initiative in research process; propensity for personal and professional development in the research field.In this regard, “General Linguistics” is the main theoretical discipline that affects to increase the scientific and cognitive potential of students in philological specialties. The article analyzes the prospects and possibilities of the discipline “General Linguistics” in improving the scientific and cognitive potential of students within the framework of the requirements of the higher education system.