Abstract
This study systematically reviews empirical research on the relationship between perceived teacher support and academic achievement in higher education published between 2020 and 2025. Twenty-one studies comprising 21,202 students across 10 countries were analyzed. Most reported a positive direct association, though one study in a non-traditional contexts found no significant effect. Indirect pathways were more frequently examined, with mediators such as academic self-efficacy, basic psychological needs, student engagement, and academic emotions repeatedly tested, while moderating mechanisms were rarely explored. Variation in measurement instruments and study designs contributed to inconsistent findings. Methodologically, the field is dominated by cross-sectional quantitative studies, underscoring the need for longitudinal and experimental approaches. Theoretically, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) was the most common framework, but the limited use of alternative perspectives indicates that theoretical pluralism remains underdeveloped. Contextually, most studies were conducted in China, focused on undergraduates, raising concerns about representativeness and generalizability. Overall, the review confirms the importance of teacher support in fostering academic achievement, while highlighting how measurement choices, methodological orientations, theoretical frameworks, and contextual conditions shape the evidence base and suggesting directions for more rigorous and context-sensitive future research.