Stress is one of the basic principles that was implemented in the education line recently to psychology and management. According to the World Health Organization, stress is a vital concern of our times, which affects both individuals ' physical and psychological well-being. Stress emerges when the blend of inside and outer weights surpasses the person's ability to adapt to their circumstances. Students who do not adapt well to pressure have an extreme impact on their studies and behaviour. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the causes of stress and the effect on the academic performance of Higher Education Institutions students. A group of 284 students were asked to respond to a survey and the results were presented in both graphic and descriptive form. Analysis of correlation and regression was conducted to test the predictions of independent variables on dependent variable. The correlation analysis showed that campus life, financial, and relationships significantly effect on the students’ academic performance. Furthermore, the regression analysis showed that the higher the level of stress, the lower the academic performance. However, only campus life and relationships significantly effect on the relationship between stress and academic performance.   The study results indicated that university authorities should ensure that students have a good learning atmosphere in which to alleviate learning pressure and set up counselling centres to help students develop positive perceptions of academic pressure, thereby helping students cope with academic stress.