Reading comprehension is a skill that has a significant impact on university learning. Therefore, in this research we address the problem of understanding scientific texts among university students. For this purpose, we have carried out the study in a sample of first-year systems engineering students from a Peruvian private university located in the city of Lima. An analysis of the relationship between the understanding of scientific texts and metacognitive planning and evaluation-control strategies has been carried out. The understanding of scientific texts has been evaluated at an inferential level using the Cloze technique. Metacognitive strategies were evaluated through a self-report inventory. In this study, variables such as gender and school of origin have been considered. The results obtained allow us to affirm that there is a significant relationship between both variables (r=0,68).