The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between university students' stress level and their attitude toward online education forced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it analyzed the relationship between the use of online education instruments and attitude. Two hundred eighty-three university students enrolled in the Turkish universities completed demographic information form, use of online education instruments form, attitude toward online education scale and perceived stress scale. Correlational analyses showed that the frequency of following synchronous and asynchronous lectures, working on online course materials and attending to online discussions and meetings with the lecturers and advisors were positively related to the perceived effectiveness of online education and its perception as a means to feel connected. They also demonstrated that the stress level was negatively related to the perceived effectiveness of online education, its perception as a means to feel connected, the frequency of following synchronous video lectures and the frequency of attending to online discussions. Regression analysis demonstrated the predictive effect of the perceived effectiveness of online education on stress level. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications particularly for future emergency education programs and generally for online education.