The article summarizes different views of scientists on the nature, the laws, principles, structure, types, forms, terms of efficiency of individualization and differentiation of teaching. In particular, it emphasizes that: individualization of teaching is a process aimed at the development of individuality; it provides for the accentuation (emphasizing) of a pupil (student) in the teaching process to take into account the individual inherent characteristics and specific organization of this process (the system of individualized methods, techniques interdependent with the actions of the teacher and pupils (students) at all phases of the teaching activity). The article is dedicated to a characterization of the following concepts, emphasised in the Psychological and Educational literature: the main and specific contradictions, being the source, the driving force of this process; certain elements that make up the didactic system of individualization of teaching; system-creating factors of the individualization of educational activity; specific laws and principles of individualized teaching, in accordance to which, the teaching process in higher education is built; different types, shapes, levels of differentiation and individualization of education.