<![CDATA[Introduction: Academic performance among working undergraduate students is shaped by individual learning competencies and contextual demands. However, empirical evidence on whether work-study balance explains academic performance remains limited. This study examines the effects of study skills and academic self-efficacy on academic performance and tests the mediating role of work-study balance. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed among 157 sixth- and eighth-semester students in Management and Accounting programs at a private university in East Java, Indonesia. Respondents had experience in freelance, part-time, or entrepreneurial activities. Data were collected through an online five-point Likert-scale questionnaire, while academic performance was measured using Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. Result: Study skills had a significant positive effect on academic performance. Academic self-efficacy significantly influenced work-study balance. However, work-study balance had no significant effect on academic performance and did not mediate the relationships among study skills, academic self-efficacy, and CGPA. Discussion: These findings indicate that academic performance among working undergraduate students is driven more by effective study skills than by academic self-efficacy or work-study balance. Strengthening students’ learning competencies is therefore essential to support academic success in dual-role contexts. Keywords: Study Skills; Academic Self-Efficacy; Work-Study Balance; Academic Performance]]>
