Academic Well-Being Among STEM University Students Living Away from Home: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background: University students’ mental health represents an increasing public health concern, particularly in STEM contexts characterized by high academic demands. Students living away from home, including international students, may face additional stressors related to relocation, social integration, and adaptation. This study examined how narrated academic experiences are associated with psychological and academic functioning among relocated STEM students. Methods: A cross-sectional convergent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted at an Italian STEM university (May–June 2024). An online survey was distributed to the entire accessible student population (33,336 invitations; 12,538 accesses; response rate = 37.6%). Analyses focused on relocated students who completed all relevant sections (N = 776; M age = 22.96). Quantitative measures assessed academic self-efficacy, burnout (Emotional Exhaustion; Cynicism), engagement (Vigor; Dedication), study program satisfaction, and perceived academic goal attainment. Open-ended responses underwent thematic analysis with a codebook approach and transformed into category count variables. Hierarchical regression models examined associations controlling for age, gender, and academic level. Results: Organizational and learning-related difficulties were the most frequent categories. Content categories explained additional variance across outcomes (ΔR2 = 0.054–0.107). Teaching-related narratives were associated with higher burnout and lower engagement and satisfaction, whereas Positive narratives showed the opposite pattern. Conclusions: Institutional and pedagogical experiences are systematically associated with student well-being among relocated STEM students, highlighting modifiable targets for university-level mental health promotion strategies.