Introduction: Academic resilience is one of the components that relates to academic achievement. The aim of this study is to predict the academic resilience on the basis of personality traits with mediation emotional intelligence.

Methods: This is a descriptive-correlation study that applies structural equation modeling (SEM). 489 participants through cluster sampling are selected from Zanjan University to measure the variables, “Samuels Academic Resilience Inventory” (ARI), “Schutte Emotional Intelligence” and “NEO Personality Inventory-Revised” are used.  The validity and reliability of these instruments have been confirmed in the previous study. Data is analyzed by AMOS.7.

Results: With respect to results, neuroticism (β = -0.171, P < 0.01) predicates negative academic resilience and conscientiousness (β = 0.411, P < 0.01) predicates positive academic resilience. Emotional intelligence mediates indirectly between the openness (β = 0.076, P < 0.01), agreeableness (β=0.074, P < 0.01), extroversion (β = 0.084, P < 0.01), conscientiousness (β = 0.106, P < 0.01). Emotional intelligence correlates with academic resilience (β=0.346, P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Study indicates that neuroticism, conscientiousness and emotional intelligence predicts the academic resilience. Furthermore, emotional intelligence mediates between the agreeableness, extroversion, openness and conscientiousness with academic resilience. It is recommended that training course can increase academic resilience of students.