The article presents an analysis of the formation of the phenomenon of stigma of low achievers. The problematization of this phenomenon is connected with two factors. The first is the importance of the life stage of education. The second is the inability to avoid interaction between different groups of students, which inevitably leads to conflicts. It is determined that due to the artificial differentiation generated by the environment, differences in values and priorities in education, a number of stigmatized groups are formed. The article highlights three main ones: overachievers, high achievers and low achievers. The greatest attention in the article is paid to the last group, as it is under the greatest pressure. The empirical base of the article is semi-formalized expert interviews with representatives of educational organizations of various types ( N = 34). It is concluded that subjected to stigmatization are both the objective characteristics of the personality of a struggling student, which make it difficult to get an education (health level, degree of mental properties development), and the behavioral characteristics (tendency to demonstrativeness or avoidance). Three levels of stigmatization in education are traced. The macro level is represented by the state and the education system, which encourage successful students, but do not provide support for unsuccessful students. At the mesolevel, educational organizations and collectives act as subjects of stigmatization. The micro level contains interpersonal interaction and self-stigmatization. The microlevel is defined both as a source of stigma and as a growth zone for overcoming it. A model of appropriation and overcoming the stigma of an underachieving student has been formed. The special role of horizontal connections in the process of solving the problem of stigmatization of underachieving students in education is highlighted.