Introduction and research objectives: HIV and AIDS are global challenges. Prevention includes the use of condoms, sterile injection equipment, and therapy for pregnant women. The global community has responded by increasing awareness and support. Youth awareness is crucial for prevention and education. The research aim is to compare the knowledge and attitudes about HIV among nursing and hospitality students at the Karlovac University College. Differences in scores on the general knowledge test about HIV/AIDS, the test of knowledge about modes of HIV transmission, and attitudes towards people with AIDS will be analyzed. Materials and methods: The participants in the study are second-year students in the nursing and hospitality programs at Karlovac University College. The survey will be conducted online using the Google Forms platform. Participants will be asked to provide sociodemographic data and respond to questions about knowledge of HIV/AIDS and attitudes towards people with AIDS. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, and collected data will be treated confidentially. Ethical aspects include informed consent, anonymity, participant protection, and adherence to high ethical standards. Results: The study at the Karlovac Polytechnic involved 67 second-year students, mostly women between the ages of 21 and 30, studying nursing and gastronomy. The results showed that most students receive information about HIV/AIDS from educational institutions. The tests revealed that students performed better on the HIV transmission test than on the general HIV knowledge test. There is no significant difference in HIV knowledge between nursing and hospitality students. The majority of students have a positive attitude toward HIV-infected individuals, with nursing students showing a statistically significant more positive attitude than hospitality students. Conclusion: Results showed no statistically significant difference in HIV knowledge between the two majors. However, nursing students expressed statistically significant more positive attitudes toward people with AIDS compared to food service students. This suggests that further education and awareness about HIV are needed to reduce prejudice and support people living with the disease.