Factors Influencing Postgraduate Students’ Academic Performance: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES Multiple personal, academic, and institutional factors influence academic performance in postgraduate education. Understanding these influences is essential for improving student retention and learning outcomes. This study aimed to explore factors affecting academic performance among postgraduate students. METHODOLOGY A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was conducted from May to October 2024 at Khyber Medical University, Peshawar. Twelve postgraduate students from various academic programs were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured Zoom interviews and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s approach and guided by Tinto’s theoretical framework. Strategies, including member checking and reflexive memoing, were employed to ensure credibility. RESULTSFive major themes emerged from the analysis: academic performance trajectory, prior academic background, motivation and personal attributes, academic workload and challenges, and institutional and peer support. Participants reported two main academic patterns: initial success followed by academic decline and initial challenges followed by gradual improvement. Factors facilitating academic success included peer support, motivation, structured coursework, and effective time management. Conversely, challenges such as complex research requirements, family responsibilities, commuting difficulties, and heavy workload negatively affected academic performance. CONCLUSION Postgraduate academic performance is shaped by a dynamic interaction of personal, academic, social, and institutional factors, consistent with Tinto’s student integration framework. Strengthening institutional support systems, mentorship, and peer learning environments may enhance postgraduate student engagement, academic success, and retention.