Background and Objectives: Quality of life, as a key indicator of well-being, reflects individuals’ satisfaction with physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. Among university students, it is influenced by academic pressures and identity changes, which may reduce performance and increase stress. Self-esteem (an individual’s evaluation of self-worth) and emotional self-regulation (the ability to manage emotions to cope with challenges) are psychological factors that enhance quality of life. This study examined the relationship between self-esteem and emotional self-regulation with quality of life among undergraduate students at Bu-Ali Sina University in Hamedan, Iran.

Methods: This applied correlational study included 7,000 undergraduate students, from which 295 were selected through simple random sampling. Instruments were the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, the Hoffman and Kashdan Emotional Self-Regulation Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Content validity was confirmed by experts, and reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) ranged from 0.82 to 0.92. Data were analyzed using one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression in SPSS.

Findings: The mean scores of self-esteem, emotional self-regulation, and quality of life were significantly above the hypothetical mean. A positive correlation was found between self-esteem (r = 0.688) and emotional self-regulation (r = 0.403) with quality of life. Regression results showed these variables explained 52.4% of variance in quality of life, with self-esteem having a stronger effect.

Conclusion: Self-esteem and emotional self-regulation positively predict students’ quality of life and play key roles in improving mental health and academic performance. Workshops to strengthen self-confidence and emotion regulation skills are recommended