Objective: To explore the relationship between college freshmen’s future time perspective and their mental health in the present and one year later, and the role of stress perceptions in this context, based on the dual model theory of mental health. Methods: A total of 1593 college freshmen were surveyed using the General Health Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Future Time Perspective Questionnaire in August 2022 (T1), and followed up mental health surveys were conducted in October 2023 (T2). Results: Future time insight was significantly associated with mental health in T1 (rgeneral psychological problems=-0.57, p<0.001; rlife satisfaction=0.45, p<0.001), which was partially mediated by stress perception (β general psychological problems=0.68; β life satisfaction=-0.49), respectively. Future time insight was significantly associated with psychological well-being at T2 (rgeneral psychological problems=-0.27, p<0.001; rlife satisfaction=0.25, p<0.001), in which stress perceptions fully mediated (β general psychological problems=0.39; β life satisfaction=-0.35), respectively. Conclusion: College freshmen’ mental health maybe related to future time perspective and stress perception plays a mediating role between them.