Abstract: Training of future specialists is an important and responsible work. It is important to educate competent professionals who will have all the necessary professional competencies. In this paper, we analyze the need for language students to master the language competence. In this study, we pay attention to the need to know the language competence of future language teachers. Also, structural elements of language competence are considered and steps for its mastering by students. Students-philologists must master the language competence not only because, like other specialists, they must master the rules of language and professional speech but also because they will teach language disciplines in the future. In addition to the main issues, the article focuses on the competent approach to education in higher education, the need to switch to a new type of educational activity.