PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self-leadership and the perception of learning in nursing students. METHODS: A descriptive research design was used in this study. The participants were 378 nursing students in M city and C city who were surveyed between June 1 and June 30, 2014 using self-report questionnaires. The data was analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0 Program, which determined frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation; a One-way ANOVA; a Scheffe test; a Pearson correlation coefficient; and a Stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: There were significant positive correlations between nursing students' self-leadership and their perception of learning. In the multiple regression analysis, self-leadership was the most significant predictor in explaining nursing students' perception of learning. CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that nursing students' self-leadership is defined as having an important influence on nursing students' perception of learning. In order to strengthen nursing students' self-leadership, there is a need to develop education programs that increase nursing students' self-leadership.