The article presents the results of comparison of the levels of the research potential (RP) and its three components (motivational, cognitive and behavioral) among the Chinese bachelor graduates studying in Chinese and Russian universities. The study was conducted on the basis of the Shanxi University (Chinese University) and the Saint-Petersburg State University (Russian University). It is established that Chinese graduates studying in the Russian university (98 students) have higher indicators of the RP as a whole and higher indicators of cognitive and behavioral components of the RP than Chinese bachelors studying at home (100 students). It is revealed the ratio of students with low, medium, high levels of development of the RP for each university. In general samples of participants of this study, students with a medium level of development of the RP prevail, for a large part of samples has a high level of the motivational component of the RP. At the same time, students with a high level of cognitive and behavioral components of the RP are significantly less. It was studied the dependence of the degree of realization of the RP among Chinese students on its development and manifestation of its specific indicators in the conditions of attestation.