Abstract: ObjectiveTo examine the awareness of knowledge about prevention and control of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS)among college students and to provide evidences for conducting effective health education on AIDS among the students.MethodsWith random cluster sampling,1 800 students in Shanghai University of Political Science and Law were recruited for an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey.ResultsAmong the 1 661 students with eligible response,the awareness rate for AIDS prevention and control knowledge was 79.83% (1 326/1 661)and the female students had a significantly higher rate compared to the male students(85.26% vs.76.56%,χ²=77.59;P<0.05).The awareness rates of three major routes of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)transmission(sexual,blood-borne,and mother-to-child transmission)were all higher than 95% in the male and female students,but the awareness rate for whether mosquito bite could spread HIV/AIDS was only 63.01%.Most of the students manifested discrimination to HIV infected persons;more male students reported sexual behaviors than the female students and the students with sexual behaviors reported low condom usage rate.ConclusionSpecific health education on HIV/AIDS should be promoted among colleges students according to characteristics of the students.