The purpose of this research is to find out the motivations of PAI (Islamic Education Department) students at IAIN Salatiga to choose to attend lecture and nyambi nyantri (attending Islamic boarding school course) and to reveal their implications for adversity quotient. This study implemented a phenomenological approach and data were obtained through interviews, observations, and documentation. The results of this study indicated that, the motivations of PAI students in IAIN Salatiga choose to nyantri nyambi lectures namely to fill their free time outside of lecture hours, to study religion more deeply, to continue their Islamic boarding school study, to consider the Islamic boarding school to be in line with the study program taken, to get a mandate from Kyai (religious authorities preferred by Javanese community) to study while mondok (living in Islamic boarding school), and their parents do not allow them to continue their study to college if they live in homestay. While the implications for the adversity quotient of PAI students of IAIN (State Islamic Institution) Salatiga are to have great aspirations, shown by the desire to graduate as soon as possible with a cum laude GPA, continuing their study to master degree, be able to read and master kitab kuning (the traditional Islamic manuscript); be able to face difficulties, demonstrated by being able to go through difficult times of adaptation, be able to overcome economic difficulties; having great self-confidence which is shown by interpreting difficulties as encouragement in achieving goals.