Smoking is a worldwide health problem. Tobacco smoking among the young is a health priority in Egypt. This study was conducted to determine smoking prevalence among male students living in Assiut University hostels and their knowledge and perceptions about this habit after Egypt's revolution using descriptive cross-sectional design. 400 students were randomly selected. A self-administrative questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, smoking status, as well as students' knowledge and perceptions concerning tobacco smoking. The mean age of the participants was 20.47 (±1.33 SD) years. More than one third (36.2%) were in theoretical faculties and 63.8% were in practical faculties. 13.2% were current smokers (25.5% daily smokers and 1.7% occasional smokers) and 30.2% started smoking before 15 years. The currently smokers were more frequently in theoretical faculties, their fathers were smokers and did not living with both parents (P <0.05). Cancer was the common smoking hazard that reported by 33.2% of the participants followed by chest disease (30.0%). More than one fifth (22.8%) of the students in the present study affected by the Egypt's revolution on 25 January 2011 as regards smoking habit. Conclusion: An educational program aimed at changing behavior and attitude to tobacco smoking and including healthy life style with high emphasis on the adolescence may be a successful primary prevention. In addition; projects designed to improve university performance may lead to a reduction in smoking rates while providing an investment in the future of youth.