Individuals’ subjective beliefs about knowledge is defined as an epistemology. Epistemological beliefs of individuals has the potential in developing the curriculum. A motivational approach that attempts to explain the purpose of learners’ participation in teaching activities is called goal orientation. Learners’ goals of participating in teaching activities affect ways of participation to learning activities, participation levels and maintaining level of participation. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between teacher candidates’ goal orientations and the belief that learning depends on effort. In this study, correlation method was used. The achievement goal orientation scale and the scale of belief that learning depends on effort, which is the subscale of the epistemological belief scale. The data are collected from 161 teacher candidates. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and stepwise regression analysis method were used in data analysis. The results of the study showed that there was positive and significant correlation between belief that learning depends on effort, learning orientation and performanceorientation approach. On the other hand, there is no significant correlation between performance-avoidence orientation and belief that learning depends on effort.