Introduction. The exit of the Russian education system from the Bologna format has intensified the discussions of scientists and practitioners about the directions of its further development. There is an obvious social demand for the development of such a model of higher education, the result of which will be a genuine readiness of university graduates for professional activities. This actualizes the problem of studying the advantages and disadvantages of single-level (Specialist’s) and multilevel (Bachelor's/Master's/Postgraduate studies) systems of domestic higher education. The purpose of the research is to study the features of readiness for professional activity of graduate students (on the example of psychologists), trained in different-level systems of higher education. Materials and methods. An empirical pilot study was carried out on the basis of a theoretical analysis of the criteria for readiness for professional activity of undergraduate psychology students in comparison with the readiness indicators of psychology graduates (Specialist’s), collected more than 10 years ago. The data were collected using test-questionnaire “Career Anchors” (E. Schein), the method of studying the motivation of professional activity (K. Zamfir, A.A. Rean), the questionnaire of the level of subjective control (E. F. Bazhin, E. A. Golynkina, A. M. Etkind), the author’s questionnaire of the formation of psychologist’s competencies. Statistical methods (Pearson’s χ2 criterion, Mann-Whitney U-criterion) were used to check the reliability of data differences. Results, discussion. The general and specific features in readiness for professional activity in psychology students who studied in different-level systems of higher education have been established. The general feature is the dominance of internal professional motivation and internalized type of subjective control. The specific features are the optimal type of professional orientation in graduates of Specialist’s and the more developed profile of preparedness (competencies) in graduates of Bachelor's. Conclusion: the data obtained in the course of the study form the basis for the recommendation to pay special attention to the professional and personal development of students when developing projects of “post-Bologna” modernization of the domestic education system.