Background <p>Diabetic foot is a serious complication of diabetes that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life. Nursing education plays an important role in shaping students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to diabetic foot care. However, there is limited research assessing their cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes toward diabetic foot care. Therefore, this study aimed to assess nursing students’ attitudes toward diabetic foot care across cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains and identify factors associated with these attitudes.</p> Methods <p>This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed between May and June 2024 with third- and fourth-year nursing students enrolled at a public university in western Türkiye. The sample comprised 230 nursing students who were actively involved in clinical practice and volunteered to participate. Data were collected using the student information form and attitude toward diabetic foot care form, which includes cognitive, affective, and behavioral subscales. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis were applied.</p> Results <p>The overall attitude level toward diabetic foot care was moderate. Cognitive and behavioral attitude scores were higher than affective attitude scores. In particular, female students had significantly higher cognitive, behavioral, and total attitude scores than male students (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Students with a first-degree relative with diabetes and those who had encountered diabetic amputation during clinical practice demonstrated significantly higher attitude scores compared with others (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Positive and significant correlations were identified among all attitude subscales (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001).</p> Conclusions <p>Nursing students demonstrated a moderate attitude level toward diabetic foot care, with relatively stronger cognitive and behavioral components and a weaker affective component. These findings indicate the need to strengthen structured, practice-based educational strategies and interventions that enhance affective awareness related to diabetic foot care in nursing education.</p> Trial registration <p>Clinical trial number: not applicable.</p>