Modern scientific literature views issues on adaptation based on various aspects: biological, medical, pedagogical, sociological, cybernetic, interdisciplinary, etc. The given article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of adaptation as social and psychological phenomenon including peculiarities of its functioning in the conditions of social and cultural acceleration (dynamics). The analysis of empirical data on the results of research of adaptation processes of students of the chosen higher educational institution has been given here combined with comparative analysis of adaptability of foreign and local students of the first year of academic study.