Objective The transition from high school to higher education can be stressful for some students. Stressful situations can put individuals at risk of developing adverse psychological problems. The aim of the current study was to investigate the mediating role of psychiatric symptoms in the relationship between learned resourcefulness and life satisfaction of university students. Method Data were collected from 389 (285 women, 73.26%) Turkish university students from first year through senior year. To collect data, Rosenbaum's Learned Resourcefulness Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Brief Symptom Inventory were administered during a class period. A structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology was utilised to assess associations among variables. Results The SEM results indicated that the hypothesised model provided a good fit to the data. The findings revealed that learned resourcefulness as a psychological strength influenced life satisfaction both directly and indirectly via the mediating effect of psychiatric symptoms. In other words, highly resourceful university students reported low level of psychiatric symptoms, which in turn were associated with life satisfaction. Conclusions The implications of the findings were discussed in terms of cultural factors and intervention strategies for the enhancement of learned resourcefulness and life satisfaction among university students.