The sense of belonging is considered in the literature as a fundamental aspect to successfully develop higher education. The objective of this paper is to understand the relationship that exists between the sense of belonging and diverse variables with which it is associated, either personal (such as motivation) or institutional (such as social integration and institutional climate). It also seeks to explore the differences in this relationship over the years of study. To do so, the present investigation explores the sense of belonging of 459 students who belong to an academic unit of a Chilean university and are enrolled in different years of their degree. Finally, its implications for the promotion of the sense of belonging in higher education institutions are discussed in light of the results.