The article examines the problem of developing cultural literacy as a cognitive component of intercultural communicative competence among preservice foreign language teachers. The relevance of the study is determined by the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards (FGOS 3++) and strategic documents in the field of education, which establish the development of intercultural dialogue and respect for cultural diversity as priority goals of higher education. The aim of the study is to identify key factors influencing the formation of students' cultural worldview and to assess the role of specialized academic courses in this process. The theoretical framework is based on intercultural competence models developed by M. Byram, A. Fantini, and D. Deardorff, which emphasize the cognitive component (savoirs/knowledge) as a foundation for developing reflective and behavioral skills. The empirical base of the study comprises the results of a survey of 80 fourth- and fifth-year students majoring in "Pedagogical Education (Foreign Languages)" at Petrozavodsk State University. The findings indicate the dominance of digital and entertainment channels as sources of cultural information: feature films and series (70%), social media (62.5%), and video platforms (37.5%). Notably, while only 12.5% of respondents identified university classes as a source of cultural information, 97.5% confirmed their positive impact on the development of cultural reflection. More than half of the respondents (55%) reported the insignificant role of family in shaping intercultural attitudes, which highlights the compensatory function of the academic environment. Personal intercultural experience was reported by 60% of participants, primarily in the form of short-term travel and online contacts. The theoretical significance of the study lies in clarifying the structure of cultural literacy as a dynamic cognitive component of intercultural communicative competence, transforming under the influence of digital media environments and institutional factors. The practical significance consists in developing methodological recommendations for integrating media content and structured intercultural dialogue into the educational process, which contributes to the effective development of students' universal competencies and can be applied in designing intercultural communication courses for various fields of study.