<p>Unemployment anxiety is a critical psychological and social issue influencing individuals’ motivation and future expectations. This study explores the relationships among unemployment anxiety, academic goal orientation, hope for the future, income level, and academic motivation within the Expectancy-Value-Cost (EVC) Model of Motivation. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 615 university students, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal a negative association between unemployment anxiety and academic motivation, aligning with the cost component of the EVC model. Academic goal orientation and hope for the future function as mediators, corresponding to the expectancy and value components, respectively. While income level does not directly relate to academic motivation, hope for the future mediates this relationship. The study extends the application of the EVC model by showing that motivational processes are shaped by context-sensitive factors related to economic uncertainty. In this framework, unemployment anxiety is conceptualized as a future-oriented form of cost, hope for the future as a value-related mechanism, and income level as a structural indicator of utility value. The study introduces a sailboat metaphor as an illustrative tool. These findings highlight the need for strategies that enhance hope and goal clarity to support students’ academic motivation under economic uncertainty.</p>