​This study aimed to investigate the nature of the relationship between self-esteem and ambition among retaking students in the Baccalaureate Certificate in Ouargla. It also examined the differences in this relationship based on gender, specialization, and the number of retakes.  In light of the study's objectives and hypotheses, a descriptive correlational approach was adopted. The study relied on two instruments: "Self-Esteem" by Cooper Smith and an ambition scale designed by the researcher.  After ensuring the validity and reliability of the instruments, the study was conducted on a sample of  277  retaking  male  and  female  students  in  the Baccalaureate Certificate from selected secondary schools in the Greater Ouargla region using simple random sampling. The study yielded the following results:•There is a statistically significant relationship between self-esteem and ambition among retaking students in the Baccalaureate Certificate.•The  relationship  between  self-esteem  and  ambition  does  not  differ  based  on  gender  (males,  females) among retaking students in the Baccalaureate Certificate.•The  relationship  between  self-esteem  and  ambition  differs  based  on  specialization  (science,  literature) among retaking students in the Baccalaureate Certificate.•The relationship between self-esteem and ambition does not differ based on the number of retakes (once, more than once) among retaking students in the Baccalaureate Certificate.​