As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, the transition to online education has affected college students' academic stress and their compelling environment. Students may experience significant stress due to such a rapid and abrupt change in the educational system. Family-related pressure, financial problems, an excessive amount of workload, fear of contagion, isolation, and their relationship to academic life contribute to academic stress. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between the perceived risk of COVID-19 and college students' academic stress. A total of 303 college students participated in the online survey questionnaire to measure their perceived risks of COVID-19 and their academic stress. The results were tallied and analyzed using statistical procedures. The results were treated using correlation analysis to determine the relationship between the perceived risk of COVID-19 and academic stress factors. Results revealed that the perceived risk of COVID-19 had a significant effect on undergraduate students' academic stress, specifically on factors such as isolation, contagion, and relationship to academic life. These findings suggest that some students may be particularly vulnerable to academic stress and poor emotional well-being due to the pandemic, emphasizing the need for immediate intervention and prevention strategies.