undergraduate and graduate nursing students' perceptions of the educational environment: a cross-sectional study

Background: the educational environment (ee) is crucial in supporting the development of nursing students and improving their skills, precision, independence, intellectual confidence, and self-assurance. this study aimed to assess and compare nursing students› perceptions of the educational environment at both undergraduate (bachelor›s, ba) and graduate (master›s, msc) levels.methods: this cross-sectional study involved 200 nursing students, who were selected using convenience sampling. the data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and the dundee ready educational environment measure (dreem).results: 103 undergraduate and 97 graduate nursing students participated in the study. the total scores for the perception of the ee in ba and msc nursing students were 109.67 and 122.12, respectively (p = 0.001). the average scores reflecting students' perceptions of learning and social conditions in education are higher among msc students over 30 years old. additionally, at the ba level, female students exhibit the highest average score in their perception of learning compared to other dimensions, and this difference is statistically significant.conclusion: focusing on enhancing students' overall well-being by highlighting their strengths and prioritizing extracurricular and life skills courses can be viewed as a key aspect of improving educational quality. organizing workshops on life skills and extracurricular activities—particularly those that teach crisis management and stress reduction can foster positive experiences for learners within academic environments, enabling students to learn calmly and securely.