Abstract. The purpose of this article is to determine the priority principles for the development of students' professional culture based on a competency-based approach. The current state of Uzbekistan's society, namely, the changes taking place in the political and economic spheres of the country's life, require a new perspective on the problem of personnel training in professional educational institutions. In the organization of scientific and pedagogical activity, a serious approach is required to determine the principles that are the priority in the relevant process. Therefore, the correct, rational selection of priority principles leads to the comprehensive coverage of a certain process, not to neglect any factor. The general principles of professional education are also taken into account when determining the priority principles in the process of developing the professional culture of college students based on the competence approach. Vocational education is organized according to the following general principles: meeting the requirements of modern production; unity of theory and practice; training in the production process; vocational-polytechnic direction; independence; taking into account the age and individual characteristics of students; team teaching; setting a single pedagogical requirement and respecting the individuality of the student