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• The studied variables affect achievement, with some gender and country differences. • Male achievement tends to be more affected by the variables in Finland and the UK. • All correlations yielded significant results except the feeling of belonging in Spain. • Parent support, belonging and motivation reduce gender differences in achievement. The aim of this study is to define the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between academic achievement and some explanatory factors, according to the PISA 2015 results in the United Kingdom, Finland and Spain. Based on an exploratory correlational study, multivariate statistical techniques were applied with moderate regression analysis in these countries, which were considered relevant examples for understanding the current situation. The results obtained suggest that gender is a variable that, at a general level, moderates the relationship between the explanatory factors studied, with the exception of anxiety, and academic achievement, mainly in the Finnish student population. Ultimately, the relevance of gender as a moderating variable for the improvement of student achievement and educational quality is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]