<![CDATA[Academic burnout is an important issue in higher education because it is associated with emotional exhaustion, cynicism toward academic activities, reduced self-efficacy, and declining psychological well-being among university students. This review aimed to identify the characteristics and severity of academic burnout, map both traditional and contemporary triggering factors, and explain its effects on psychological well-being and the role of protective factors. The study employed a Systematic Literature Review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted in Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and EuropePMC using combinations of the terms academic burnout, student burnout, academic fatigue, psychological well-being, mental well-being, and students. Of 1,250 initial records, 35 duplicates were removed, 1,215 records were screened, 165 reports were sought for retrieval, 150 were assessed for eligibility, and 20 studies were included in the synthesis. Study quality was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist, followed by narrative and thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that academic burnout commonly occurs at moderate to high levels; among medical students, reported prevalence ranged from 20% to 95%, while one study found burnout in 60% of participants. Heavy workloads, examination pressure, poor time management, digital distraction, doomscrolling, fear of missing out, and sleep disturbance emerged as important triggers. Burnout was negatively associated with psychological well-being and impaired students' positive functioning. Resilience, mindfulness, adaptive coping, and social support acted as protective factors. These findings highlight the need for campus interventions integrating academic workload management, digital literacy, psychological support, and resilience strengthening.]]>
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