Objective: the agentive profile of students with poor academic performance was characterized. The following components were considered for the sense of agency: control of learning and cognitive, academic self-efficacy and motivation strategies. Additionally, the relationship between these three variables was explored. Method: participants were 32 university students who filled out the ACRA scale, and the ILP-R questionnaire. Results: students with low academic performance have a middle level sense of agency characterized by moderate use of cognitive and control strategies, mainly strategies of shallow information processing. An intrinsic motivational orientation and perception of executive control and average middle-level self-efficacy perceived while performing academic tasks. Conclusions: students with low academic performance report being intrinsically motivated, have a perception of academic middle-level self-efficacy and reported an average use of cognitive strategies and learning control. No significant relationship was found between these variables.