Academic achievement is the degree to which students, educators, or organizations have attained their desired learning goals, whether short-term or long-term. It provides evidence of institutional efficiency in producing knowledgeable, proficient, and marketable graduates. Understanding the factors contributing to students' success is an important task not only for the students or lecturers but also for higher learning institutions. This understanding serves as valuable input for designing effective teaching, learning, and student activities to improve academic performance and reduce academic failure. Thus, the current study sought to determine the direct and indirect effects of self-esteem, personality traits, and emotional intelligence, as well as examine the role of academic motivation on students' learning outcomes as a mediator. A stratified random sampling method was employed, and 533 undergraduate students participated in this study. Four standard instruments have been adopted for data collection, which are Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), Big Five Inventory (BFI), and Academic Motivation Scale. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to identify the relationship between self-esteem, personality traits, and emotional intelligence on academic achievement and examine academic motivation as a potential mediator for academic achievement. The findings of this study revealed that academic motivation, emotional expression, and conscientiousness were significant factors. Moreover, negative self-esteem, conscientiousness, openness, and self-emotional regulation exhibited significant indirect effects on academic achievement, and academic motivation has been proven to serve as a significant mediator. These results revealed essential inputs and provided a greater understanding of the higher learning institutions in structuring and planning their students' support systems and activities. Given the significant role of academic motivation as a mediator, it will be interesting to discover its significant contributors. Further studies can be conducted to determine the differences in academic motivation contributing factors with regard to gender, discipline, and socio-economic backgrounds.
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