Abstract
This study investigated the influence of learning motivation on academic performance among Chinese vocational college students using Self-Determination Theory as the theoretical framework. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving 485 students from Guangdong Polytechnic of Industry and Commerce. The findings demonstrated that academic performance was significantly predicted by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, which together accounted for 48.6% of the variance in GPA. While the academic year moderated the effects of extrinsic motivation, gender moderated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and performance. Students with the highest levels of intrinsic motivation achieved the best academic results, according to cluster analysis, which also showed distinct motivational profiles. These results demonstrate the universal importance of autonomous motivation and offer compelling empirical support for SDT in a non-Western vocational education setting. The study provides useful recommendations for raising student achievement through motivation-focused.