Past literature indicates that low-socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with negative emotions. Academic intervention for low-SES students may be a key to alter the negative emotions to positive ones. Although academic intervention programs for low-SES individuals have been actively conducted in the past 20 years in Japan, few studies have been focused on positive emotions. Identifying positive emotions for low-SES students may be particularly important for low-SES individuals. Growing up in a disadvantaged family, low-SES individuals can use resilience through positive emotions to cope with unfavorable situations. The purpose of this study is to identify low-SES students’ positive emotions as developed through academic intervention programs in Japan. Thirty-one published qualitative and quantitative articles and documents from 2000 to 2023 in Japanese were reviewed. Findings reveal four themes in positive emotions: (a) excitement in learning; (b) contentment with self and others; (c) pride in self; and (d) anticipation of the future. Low-SES students enjoyed learning in these programs. They also increased learning motivation. Students learned to like themselves and felt that they were treated as important by others. They revealed confidence in themselves and were able to project their futures. Identifying types of positive emotions would be especially important for low-SES students to alter their negative emotions to positive ones in order to acquire resilience and manage adversities. Future research in the area should present strong scientific evidence to draw reasonable conclusions. Identifying positive emotions would be beneficial for public authorities, researchers, and school administrators to educate low-SES students.