Sense of belonging and academic outcomes among postsecondary students: a meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Sense of belonging is widely regarded as an important contributor to student success, yet its associations with academic outcomes in postsecondary education remain unclear. METHODS: This meta-analysis synthesized evidence from 83 correlational studies published in peer-reviewed journals up to October 5, 2025, identified through Web of Science, ERIC, and Academic Search Complete. Random-effects models were used to estimate the associations between students' sense of belonging and multiple academic outcomes. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine variation across student characteristics, program duration, and measurement tools. RESULTS: The results showed moderate positive correlations between school belonging and academic motivation, academic interest, and academic self-efficacy (r = 0.30, 0.44, and 0.36, respectively). Small positive correlations were found with academic performance, student retention, academic engagement, and persistence intention (r = 0.15, 0.18, 0.27, and 0.29, respectively). A small negative correlation was observed between school belonging and dropout intention (r = -0.24). Subgroup analyses showed stronger associations in STEM fields, classroom/course belonging, and longer academic programs. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that sense of belonging functions primarily as a motivational and psychosocial resource in postsecondary education, with stronger links to students' motivation, confidence, and engagement than to direct indicators of academic performance. These results provide evidence for the importance of fostering belonging to support student success and retention in higher education. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42025638811, identifier CRD42025638811.