<![CDATA[Universities increasingly require pedagogical approaches that connect environmental literacy with sustainable lifestyle practices. This study examined the associations of environmental knowledge and environmental skills with sustainable lifestyle and assessed potential indirect pathways through a virtual reality (VR) learning experience. The final analytical sample comprised 400 university students who completed all three assessments and met the prespecified data-quality criteria. Environmental knowledge and skills were measured before the session, VR learning experience immediately afterward, and sustainable lifestyle through a self-report follow-up two weeks later. Confirmatory factor analysis and covariance-based structural equation modeling were applied. The model demonstrated acceptable fit (CMIN/DF = 2.376, RMSEA = 0.059, SRMR = 0.052, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.927). Environmental knowledge was positively associated with sustainable lifestyle (β = 0.182, p < 0.001) and VR learning experience (β = 0.312, p < 0.001). Environmental skills showed larger standardized associations with sustainable lifestyle (β = 0.241, p < 0.001) and VR learning experience (β = 0.451, p < 0.001). VR learning experience had the largest standardized direct association with sustainable lifestyle (β = 0.373, p < 0.001). The model-implied indirect effects were 0.116 for environmental knowledge and 0.168 for environmental skills and were interpreted descriptively. The model explained 51.4% of the variance in VR learning experience and 68.7% of the variance in sustainable lifestyle. These findings suggest that immersive learning experience may provide an intermediate link between environmental literacy and short-term self-reported sustainable practices. Causal and long-term claims require comparison groups, longer follow-up, and objective behavioral indicators.]]>
