Objective To investigate the status and influencing factors of college students′ verification ability of internet rumors in public health emergencies, and to provide reference for improving college students′ verification ability of rumor. Methods A total of 770 college students were selected by convenience sampling or snowball sampling. The general demographic information questionnaire, the Questionnaire for Evaluating Internet Rumors Verification Ability in Public Health Emergencies, the eHealth Literacy Scale, and the Templer′s Death Anxiety Scale were used to survey the students. Results The median score of college students′ verification ability of internet rumors was 65.00 (58.00,72.00) points. The students scored 45.00 (43.00,49.00) points in death anxiety, and 32.00 (28.00,32.00) points in ehealth literacy. Family income, concerns for public health emergency information, the ways to deal with rumors, death anxiety and ehealth literacy were influencing factors of college students′ verification ability of internet rumors in public health emergencies, explaining 46.20% of the total variation. Conclusion College students′ verification ability of internet rumors in public health emergencies was moderate. Measures including guiding college students to evaluate their ability to correctly verify rumors, and attaching importance to information literacy and electronic health literacy education, can improve college students′ verification ability of internet rumors in public health emergencies.