The article reflects the results of the implementation of a theoretical and experimental approach to understanding the role of additional education in the professional development of university students. Considering additional education as an element of the continuing education system, we believe that it is the activation of the development of additional education programs for university students, as well as the creation of conditions for effective implementation in the educational process, that will allow us to realize the main task of further education, as defined in the Law of the Russian Federation “On Education”, - education of a creative person, ready for self-development and self-determination. At the same time, the study we organized showed that only a little more than 50% of the students who took part in our study are positively oriented towards receiving additional education. In order to stimulate students' interest in obtaining additional education, including, within the framework of optimizing their professional development, we propose to focus on “immersing” students in research activities.