Academic attainment is a core education policy priority. Wellbeing is recognized as critical for adolescent development, and is linked to academic attainment. Yet research with adolescents primarily focuses on life satisfaction or overall wellbeing, despite differentiating conceptually between two wellbeing components "feeling" good (life satisfaction) and "functioning" well (eudaimonia). This study examined whether operationalizing wellbeing as overall, life satisfaction, or eudaimonia, derived different associations with academic attainment. Potentially cooccurring motivational states were also accounted for. Participants were 607 adolescents (354 male, M[subscript age] = 15.03; 253 female, M[subscript age] = 15.10) from seven English schools (UK). Adolescents' wellbeing questionnaire responses were matched to prior and current academic attainment in English and Mathematics. Structural equation models demonstrated adolescents reporting higher eudaimonia and overall wellbeing had significantly higher academic attainment in school-based examinations (General Certificate in Secondary Education, England). Life satisfaction was not significantly related to academic attainment. Findings suggest eudaimonia has developmental significance during adolescence, requiring greater attention.