The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between metacognition, general self-efficacy, and academic success among university students, and to examine the mediating role of general self-efficacy in these relationships. The study used a correlational research design and 360 university students participated by completing the Demographic Information Form, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Metacognition Scale-30. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationships between variables, while structural equation modeling was employed to test the mediating role of general self-efficacy. The findings showed that there were positive associations between academic success and both metacognition and general self-efficacy. Furthermore, general self-efficacy was found to partially mediate the relationship between metacognition and academic success. The results suggested that supporting students' general self-efficacy beliefs could lead to increased metacognitive awareness and improved academic success. The implications of these findings were discussed in terms of higher education policies. The study's potential limitations include biases or social desirability effects that could result from using self-reported measures. Furthermore, the sample of university students may not be representative of the larger population, and the study's findings are limited to a particular geographic or cultural context. In summary, the study highlights the importance of metacognition and general self-efficacy for academic success among university students and underscores the need for interventions that aim to enhance these factors.