The prevalence of internet addiction among university students has been extensively studied worldwide, however, the findings have been mixed. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the global prevalence of internet addiction in university students and identify its potential moderators.

• The pooled global prevalence of internet addiction in university students was 41.84% (95% CI: 35.89–48.02).
• Income level, region, stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, IAT-20 cut-off values, sample size, and the prevalence of depression were moderators influencing the prevalence of internet addiction.
• Male university students had a significantly higher risk of internet addiction compared to their female counterparts.