Background: Cultural diversity in the healthcare system has emphasized the need to enhance the cultural competence among nurses. Identifying cultural competence and influencing factors can aid in improving culturally competent care in the healthcare industry.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the cultural competence among nursing students and the factors influencing their cultural competence.

Method: a cross-sectional design was used for this study. Data collection was conducted in April 2024 with the nursing students. A descriptive analysis was done to show the participants' general characteristics and overall cultural competence. Inferential statistics was performed to analyze the factors associated with and influencing cultural competence.

Result: The findings of this study show a moderate to high level of cultural competence (68.88±24.74). Age, Academic level, Language, and Ethnicity were found to be associated with cultural competence (F(5, 438)=14.946, p<0.001). The educational level, age, language and ethnicity influence cultural competence.

Conclusion: Cultural competence among the healthcare providers for culturally diverse patients is crucial for all healthcare providers, precisely for nurses who are always with their clients.  Although, this study depicts reasonable cultural competence, educational training regarding cultural competence needs to be included in the curriculum to produce more culturally competent nurses. Nursing curricula should integrate structured cultural competence training and language skills development to address the influence of age, academic level, language, and ethnicity. This will enhance culturally congruent care, reduce health disparities, and improve patient outcomes in multicultural healthcare settings.