Introduction: Academic failure is a major concern in higher education institutions, and understanding the factors that contribute to it is crucial for developing effective interventions. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between psychological defeat, cognitive failure, and academic failure among undergraduate students. It also aimed to examine whether psychological defeat or cognitive failure is a stronger predictor of academic failure. Methods: A sample of 300 undergraduate students completed measures of psychological defeat, cognitive failure, demographic variables, and GPA. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Results: Both psychological defeat and cognitive failure were found to be negatively correlated with GPA. Psychological defeat was a stronger predictor of academic failure than cognitive failure, even after controlling for demographic variables. Conclusion: These findings suggest that psychological factors may be more important than cognitive factors in predicting academic failure among undergraduate students. Interventions targeting psychological factors, such as promoting resilience and coping skills, may be effective in preventing academic failure.