Objective <p>University students in Lebanon are intensely exposed to academic, socioeconomic, and psychological stressors that may contribute to burnout. This study aims to explore the relationship between burnout, resilience, and physical activity among Lebanese university students, with a specific emphasis on gender differences.</p> Materials and methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2025 among 506 students enrolled in different universities. Participants were recruited through online platforms. A self-administered questionnaire assessed burnout using the Academic Burnout Scale, resilience using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and physical activity using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 27.</p> Results <p>Female students reported significantly higher levels of burnout compared to males, whereas male students showed higher resilience and greater engagement in physical activity. Burnout was negatively related to both resilience and physical activity, while resilience showed a strong positive association with physical activity. The strong associations were between burnout and resilience (<i>r</i> = − 0.73, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and between burnout and physical activity (<i>r</i> = − 0.72, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), with a strong positive affiliation between resilience and physical activity (<i>r</i> = 0.69, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001).</p> Conclusion <p>Higher resilience and increased physical activity were associated with lower burnout levels among Lebanese university students. These findings highlight the importance of implementing physical activity and resilience-building programs with Lebanese universities to support students ' well-being and academic functioning.</p>