The aim of the study was to analyse the mediating effects of the critical thinking in the relationship between student self-regulation and social emotional learning. Critical thinking disposition scale, self-regulation scale, and social emotional learning scale were conducted to 367 university students. The present study showed that critical thinking and self-regulation were positively related to social emotional learning. Regression-based mediation analysis indicated that the effect of self-regulation on the social emotional learning initiative was mediated by critical thinking. These findings suggested that the self-regulation has both direct and indirect effects on social emotional learning.