Abstract
& Earl Mmushi Malau ORCID 0000-0002-6144-7303 Earlmalau@gmail.comAbstract The low attendance of undergraduate students in different universities is a growing concern for most institutions that have put systems and resources in place to encourage at least 90% lecture attendance. This study aimed to examine lecture absenteeism by analysing existing research and identifying student-related factors and institutional implications in South African universities. The study used a qualitative integrative literature review design, analysing peer-reviewed journal articles, academic texts, and institutional reports to provide answers to why students skip lectures. A thematic qualitative content analysis was used to reveal four dominant themes: lecture attendance as a strategic choice, structural and economic barriers to lecture attendance, academic overload and physical exhaustion, as well as psychosocial factors and emotional well-being. Based on these findings, the study concludes that lecture absenteeism is largely influenced by structural and institutional factors rather than student disengagement, highlighting the need for hybrid teaching and learning mechanisms and incentive-based mechanisms to encourage regular attendance.