HomePsychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journalvol. 50 no. 4 (2025)

From Bookkeeping to Business: How Financial Literacy Shapes Entrepreneurial Intention of College Students

Loui Maie De La Fuente | Allen Grace M. Sarmiento | Wendy T. Cortez

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study examines the impact of financial literacy on college students' entrepreneurial intentions, highlighting financial knowledge as a crucial factor in motivating business creation. Employing a quantitative causal research design, the study surveyed 344 college students using a structured online questionnaire. The instrument assessed four key dimensions of financial literacy, budgeting, saving, investing, and spending, and measured their impact on entrepreneurial intention through perceived desirability, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial objectives. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman Rank-Order Correlation, and linear regression. The results reveal a significant positive relationship between financial literacy and entrepreneurial intention, with regression analysis indicating that financial literacy accounts for 47.6% of the variance in students' entrepreneurial intention. While respondents demonstrated positive behaviors in budgeting, saving, and spending, the findings highlighted a distinct lack of confidence and familiarity regarding investment. The study concludes that comprehensive financial knowledge empowers students to pursue entrepreneurial ventures with greater confidence. To address the identified gaps, the paper recommends that academic institutions integrate practical investment simulations, business incubation centers, and mentorship programs into their curricula to transform student interest into actual entrepreneurial activity.



References:

  1. Ahmad, S., Zhang, Q., Hussain, M. A., & Mahmood, S. (2025). Entrepreneurial success through learning, capital, and work engagement: Market and service orientation perspective. Acta Psychologica, 258, 105188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105188
  2. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
  3. Alshebami, A. S., & Al Marri, S. H. (2022). The Impact of Financial Literacy on Entrepreneurial Intention: The Mediating Role of Saving Behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.911605
  4. Amirul, S. R., Amirul, S. M., Mail, R., Abu Bakar, M. A. A. (2025). Financial Literacy Beyond Numbers: Human Capital Intervention for Micro-Enterprise Sustainability. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 8(12), 1897-1910. https://doi.org/https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8120162
  5. Astiana, M., Malinda, M., Nurbasari, A., & Margaretha*, M. (2022). Entrepreneurship Education Increases Entrepreneurial Intention Among Undergraduate Students. European Journal of Educational Research, 11(2), 995–1008. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.2.995
  6. Azis, F., Tahir, T., S, M., Azis, M., & Hasan, M. (2025). Entrepreneurial Literacy and Financial Behavior Among Indonesian Mompreneurs: Insights from a Knowledge-Based Innovation Perspective. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 18(11), 622–622. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm18110622
  7. Bai, R. (2023). Impact of financial literacy, mental budgeting, and self-control on financial well-being: Mediating impact of investment decision-making. PLOS ONE, 18(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294466
  8. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. (2021). 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey. In Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Inclusive%20Finance/Financial%20Inclusion%20Reports%20and%20Publications/2021/2021FISToplineReport.pdf
  9. Bosnjak, M., Ajzen, A., Schmidt, P. (2020). The Theory of Planned Behavior: Selected Recent Advances and Applications. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 16(3) Article e3107. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v16i3.3107
  10. Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., Bywaters, D., & Walker, K. (2020). Purposive Sampling: Complex or Simple? Research Case Examples. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(8), 652–661. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120927206
  11. Cator, C. (2024). Filipino Youth Are More Financially Literate Than Older Generations, According to a Study. Esquiremag.ph. https://www.esquiremag.ph/money/youth-financial-literacy-BSP-2024-a7943-20240705?utm
  12. Despard, M. R., Friedline, T., & Martin-West, S. (2020). Why Do Households Lack Emergency Savings? The Role of Financial Capability. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-020-09679-8
  13. Domingo, A. (2022). Starting a Small Business amidst COVID-19: The Entrepreneurial Journey of Entrepreneurship Students in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 10, 196–212. doi: 10.4236/jss. 2022.106016.
  14. Dovetail. (2023). Causal Research Design: Definition, Benefits, Examples. Dovetail.com. https://dovetail.com/research/causal-research/
  15. Galvão, A. R., Marques, C. S., Mendes, T., & Azevedo, C. (2024). How Does Perceived University Support Boost Students’ Entrepreneurial Intentions? Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-024-02441-7
  16. Ghimire, B., Dahal, R. K., & Joshi, S. P. (2023). The Effect of Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Education on Students’ Intentions to Pursue Entrepreneurial Careers. Pravaha, 29(1), 79–88. https://doi.org/10.3126/pravaha.v29i1.71408
  17. Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. (2015). S&P Global FinLit Survey | Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC). Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC). https://gflec.org/initiatives/sp-global-finlit-survey/
  18. Gonzales, A. (2025). BSP partners with MCPI, RBAP to promote financial education. Pna.gov.ph. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1250639?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  19. Gonzales, D., & Rammel, N. (2024). Financial Literacy and Well-being as Predictors of Work Performance. EPRA International Journal of Environmental, Economics, Commerce and Educational Management, 77–86. https://doi.org/10.36713/epra16423
  20. Graña-Álvarez, R., Gómez-Conde, J., López-Valeiras, E., & González-Loureiro, M. (2024). Management control systems, business financial literacy, and financial leverage in business-incubated start-ups. The British Accounting Review, 56(6), 101427–101427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2024.101427
  21. Hassan, A., Anwar, I., Saleem, I., Islam, K. M. B., & Hussain, S. A. (2021). Individual entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial intention: The mediating role of entrepreneurial motivations. Industry and Higher Education, 35(4), 095042222110070. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222211007051
  22. Ida, N., & Suwarno, H. L. (2025). Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Intention: The Mediating Role of Motivational Factor. International Journal of Economics, Commerce, and Management, 2(4), 79–84. https://doi.org/10.62951/ijecm.v2i4.969
  23. Jose, K. (2024, October 17). BSP: Financial literacy empowers workers. Daily Tribune. https://tribune.net.ph/2024/10/17/bsp-financial-literacy-empowers-workers?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  24. Katnic, I., Katnic, M., Orlandic, M., Radunovic, M., & Mugosa, I. (2024). Understanding the Role of Financial Literacy in Enhancing Economic Stability and Resilience in Montenegro: A Data-Driven Approach. Sustainability, 16(24), 11065–11065. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411065
  25. Kicova, E., Michulek, J., Ponisciakova, O., & Fabus, J. (2025). When Financial Awareness Meets Reality: Financial Literacy and Gen Z’s Entrepreneurship Interest. International Journal of Financial Studies, 13(3), 171–171. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs13030171
  26. Leoni, S. (2023). A Historical Review of the Role of Education: From Human Capital to Human Capabilities. Review of Political Economy, 37(1), 227–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/09538259.2023.2245233
  27. Makhija, J. (2022). Exploring The Financial Literacy of Women and its Determinants in Delhi-Ncr. International Journal of Social Science & Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2022.v07i08.011
  28. Mani, A. (2025, April 24). Financial Literacy Data By Country [S&P Survey] — Our Wealth Insights. Our Wealth Insights. https://ourwealthinsights.com/financial-literacy-data/
  29. Nayak, P. M., Joshi, H. G., Nayak, M., & Gil, M. T. (2024). The moderating effect of entrepreneurial motivation on the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and behaviour: An extension of the theory of planned behaviour on an emerging economy. F1000Research, 12, 1585–1585. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.140675.2
  30. Nguyen, T. T., Dao, T. T., Tran, T. B., Thi, H., Thi, L., & Thao, T. (2024). Fintech literacy and digital entrepreneurial intention: Mediator and Moderator Effect. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 4(1), 100222–100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjimei.2024.100222
  31. Nickell, G. S., & Hinsz, V. B. (2023). Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand Workers’ Production of Safe Food. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 39(2), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2023a10
  32. Nogueira, M. C., Almeida, L., & Tavares, F. O. (2025). Financial Literacy, Financial Knowledge, and Financial Behaviors in OECD Countries. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 18(3), 167. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm18030167
  33. Nugroho, A. W., Larasati, M., Azizah, E. N., Santos-Recto, M. M., Setiawan, E., & Sumardi, A. (2024). Building Financial Literacy Awareness and Entrepreneurial Mindset among the Young Generation. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14074008
  34. Parsai, P., & Chandok, A. K. (2025, March 22). The Role of Financial Literacy in Investment Decision-Making: A Review. International Journal of Innovative Science and Engineering Management. https://doi.org/10.69968/ijisem.2025v4i1296-301
  35. Peetz, J., & Davydenko, M. (2021). Financial self-control strategy use: Generating personal strategies reduces spending more than learning expert strategies. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 97, 104189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104189
  36. Phạm, M., Nguyen, A. G.-T., Nhi, B., Toai, T. J., & Nguyen, V. P. (2023). The Impact of Entrepreneurial Knowledge on Students’ E-Entrepreneurial Intention Formation and the Moderating Role of Technological Innovativeness. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00351-7
  37. Rapina, R., Meythi, M., Rahmatika, D. N., & Mardiana, M. (2023). The impact of financial literacy and financial behavior on entrepreneurial motivation – evidence from Indonesia. Cogent Education, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2023.2282827
  38. Relente, A. R. R., & Capistrano, E. P. S. (2024). Innovation self-efficacy, theory of planned behavior, and entrepreneurial intentions: The perspective of young Filipinos. Asia Pacific Management Review, 30(3), 100350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2024.100350
  39. Salmons, J. (2021, February 5). Experiments and Quantitative Research. Sage Research Methods Community. https://researchmethodscommunity.sagepub.com/blog/experiments-quantitative-methodologies
  40. Sarsale, M. S. (2021). Linking Financial Literacy And Entrepreneurial Characteristics. International Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting Research (IJEBAR), 5(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.29040/ijebar.v5i1.1508
  41. Siegfried, C., & Wuttke, E. (2021). What Influences the Financial Literacy of Young Adults? A Combined Analysis of Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Delay of Gratification. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.663254
  42. Xie, Y., & Chen, T. (2024). A Study on the Impact of Digital Financial Literacy on Household Entrepreneurship—Evidence from China. Sustainability, 17(1), 117–117. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010117
  43. Yoganandham, G. (2025). Mastering economic and financial sources with reference to budgeting, savings, early investing, debt management, and the power of financial planning: A comprehensive analysis. https://degres.eu/wp-content/uploads/2-DEJ1457.pdf