Introduction: Motivation has a significant role in acquiring knowledge and scientific skills and the role of character is beyond the intelligence in educational success. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personal characteristics and progression motivation in nursing students.

  Methods: This is a correlation descriptive study whose sample includes 112 nursing students of Medical Science of Isfahan University chosen in 1390-1391 academic year with census sampling method. Character Multi-factorial Standard questionnaire (NEO-BFI) and Progression Motivation (ACM) and Strong’s Career Personality Types Short Form are used in order to data collection data analysis is done by calculating the average of progression motivation and personal characteristic (Neo and Strong) scores and the comparisons were done with step by step regression via 19^th version of SPSS software.

  Results: Motivation had a direct correlation with loyalty (r-21), extroversion (r-19) and seeking characteristics and a diverse correlation with Neuroticism (r-12), artistic characteristics (r-20), social characteristics (r-19) and realism (r-15). There is no meaningful correlation between educational motivation, acceptance characteristic and artistic and conventional type compatibility.

  Conclusion: This study showed that some of the characteristics explain the progression motivation in nursing students. Therefore, it is suggested that nursing education professionals pay attention to the role of characteristics in order to admit these students.