The first year of college is a transition period from secondary education to higher education. The demand to be an independent learner, as well as the transition from distance learning to face-to-face meetings, can certainly cause academic stress. On the other hand, some factors influence the extent to which students can survive in the face of stress, one of which is self-efficacy. This research aims to look at the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic stress in first-year students during the pandemic transition period using quantitative methods. The total number of participants in this research was 210 active first-year students. The research instruments used were the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale and the Academic Stress Inventory. The results of research using Spearman's rho correlation test technique show that the variables academic self-efficacy and academic stress (rs = -.667, p < .001) have a significant negative correlation. Thus, the higher the academic self-efficacy, the lower the academic stress experienced by students.