 This cross-sectional study investigates how engagement of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic was influenced by course content, online interaction, student acceptance, and satisfaction with online learning, as well as self-efficacy across nine countries. The results show that student engagement is strongly linked to perception of the quality of course content and online interactions, and that online interactions are a major determinant of academic efficacy if mediated by engagement within the online learning context. A negative correlation between student engagement and satisfaction with online learning was found, demonstrating the importance of students being engaged behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively to feel satisfied with learning. Academic efficacy and student satisfaction were explained by course content, online interaction, and online learning acceptance, being mediated by student engagement. Student satisfaction and academic efficacy were also associated with online learning acceptance. Despite limitations, the results highlight the most important factors affecting online learning, providing insight into potential approaches for improving student experiences in online learning environments. This article was authored by Hamad Sharif Nia, Joao Moroko, Longshi, and others. We are article.tv, links in the description below.