One of the relevant and predictive variables in explaining the academic performance of university students is self-regulation learning. This is why it becomes one of the necessary areas to develop and promote, especially in the first years of university life. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of learning experience on self-regulation of learning, self-efficacy for study regulation, willingness to study and academic performance in first-year university students. The method has a quantitative approach with cross-sectional data in a sample composed of 115 university students of a career in the area of Engineering. Data processing was performed using the Partial Least Squares method. The results show that learning experiences have a positive effect on the variables under study and specifically on academic performance. This implies that the student's experiences in the learning process, where teaching practices to promote self-regulation learning are especially relevant, have a direct effect on their academic performance.