Background: Being in a flow state during simulation-based education enables students to achieve successful learning by concentrating on their activities. Methods: After experiencing simulations, both junior and senior nursing students participated in a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire included six types of scales to measure each component of the research framework. The collected data were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson correlations, and multiple regressions. Results: Students' school years, preferred learning styles, perceived levels of support, problem-solving opportunities, and perceived levels of fidelity were identified as factors influencing the flow experience during simulation-based education. Conclusions: To increase the effectiveness of learning, educators should consider factors that influence the flow experience when designing simulation learning environments. (C) 2018 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.