Background <p>Emotional intelligence and critical thinking disposition are essential competencies in nursing education, yet the nature of their relationship across different stages of training remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the structural relationship between emotional intelligence and critical thinking disposition among nursing students and to determine whether this relationship differs across class levels.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed. The study included 458 nursing students enrolled in a public university. Data were collected using validated instruments measuring emotional intelligence and critical thinking disposition. Spearman correlation analysis and multi-group structural equation modelling were conducted to examine the structural relationship between the constructs and to test measurement invariance across class levels.</p> Results <p>Emotional intelligence was positively associated with critical thinking disposition. Structural equation modelling indicated a significant positive structural association between emotional intelligence and critical thinking disposition across all class levels, although the strength of this relationship varied between different stages of nursing education. Measurement invariance analysis supported the comparability of the constructs across groups.</p> Conclusions <p>The findings highlight the importance of emotional competence in fostering critical thinking disposition among nursing students. The observed variation in the strength of this relationship across educational stages suggests that nursing curricula should incorporate stage-specific strategies to enhance emotional intelligence, particularly during key transition periods such as the shift from classroom learning to clinical practice.</p>