A four‐wave longitudinal study tested the demands–resources model in the school context.

To examine the applicability of the demands–resources to the school context.

Data of 1,709 adolescents were gathered, once during the transition from comprehensive to post‐comprehensive education, twice during post‐comprehensive education, and once 2�years later.

The hypotheses were supported, path analysis showing that study demands were related to school burnout a year later, while study resources were related to schoolwork engagement. Self‐efficacy was positively related to engagement and negatively to burnout. School burnout predicted schoolwork engagement negatively 1�year later. Engagement was positively related to life satisfaction 2�years later, while burnout was related to depressive symptoms. Finally, burnout mediated the relationship between study demands and mental health outcomes.

The demands–resources model can usefully be applied to the school context, including the associations between school‐related burnout and engagement among adolescents. The model comprises two processes, the energy‐depleting process and the motivational process.