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Abstract: Integration of Russia into the world community brings the need of society to speak foreign languages which is reflected in reforming the system of teaching foreign languages in non-linguistic higher schools. The article characterizes the specificity of teaching foreign languages in non-linguistic higher schools of Yakutia many students of which are Yakuts and representatives of Northern indigenous peoples. Such students have difficulties in social adaptation when they move from an ulus, i.e. a small town, settlement or village in the country to the capital of the republic. Perception of information and communication in a foreign language (e.g. in Russian) are difficult for them. They need separate or additional explanation of the learning material in their native language. Customary social order and a special role of ethnic communities and relatives make them wish to communicate only with people from their native ulus; that is why it is difficult to organize the learning process because of unwillingness of students to work in groups set by the teacher. Students-representatives of the Northern indigenous peoples are characterized by the common restraint in exhibiting emotions, slow reaction and position of a passive listener. In order to overcome these difficulties the article offers the following principles of teaching a foreign language with regard to the contingent of the people studying in higher education institutions of North-Eastern Russia: 1) principles reflecting the correspondence of the system of teaching foreign languages in a non-linguistic university to the social order of the region; 2) principles taking into account the cultural-historical heritage and the features of national character of the learners; 3) principles disclosing the possibilities of multilingualism in a polycultural society.