Background: Cognitive Holding Power (CHP) and students' engagement are two important constructs influencing nursing students' learning outcomes. Therefore, understanding the relationship between these constructs is important for developing effective educational strategies. Objectives: To study the relationship between CHP and students' engagement at the Faculty of Nursing in Suez Canal University. Design: The study followed a descriptive correlational design. Setting: The study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing in Suez Canal University, which is located in Ismailia. Participants: Three hundred thirty nursing students participated in the study. Methods: Data were collected using the CHP questionnaire, which measures first-order CHP using thirteen items and second-order CHP using seventeen items, in addition to the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for students using nine items. Results: The first-order CHP scored 46.77 ± 9.48, while the second-order CHP scored 69.06 ± 9.96. The overall engagement scored 3.66 ± 1.24, with dedication scoring the highest mean (3.84 ± 1.38) and absorption scoring the lowest mean (3.37±1.28). A weak positive correlation was found between first-order CHP and engagement (r = 0.243, p = 0.001). In contrast, a moderate positive correlation was found between second-order CHP and engagement (r = 0.426, p = 0.001). Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between the overall CHP and engagement among nursing students. Second-order CHP, which involves higher-order thinking skills, correlates more strongly with engagement than first-order CHP. Recommendations: Adopting educational strategies that balance both types of cognitive tasks and emphasizing activities that promote more profound engagement needs to be encouraged.