An empirical study is performed to examine the correlation between crisis-related experiences and academic motivation, involving four naturally set up groups of Physics majors from the Department of Experimental Physics at Surgut State University, aged 18–24. The research methods include psychological measurement using psychodiagnostic techniques described in “Questionnaire of Crisis Events and Experiences for Students” by V. R. Manukyan, “Motivations for Studying at a University” by T. I. Ilyina, a modified “Career Anchors” technique by E. Schein, and methods of mathematical statistics. A correlation is found between the nature of crisis experiences and students’ academic motivation: high severity and breadth of crisis experiences are observed in students with a combination of motivation for acquiring knowledge and mastering a profession, students motivated by obtaining a diploma experienced a crisis of hopelessness, and students motivated by acquiring knowledge experienced only minor crisis experiences.