Perceived university support and entrepreneurial intentions: Do different students benefit differently?

The question of how universities can most effectively contribute to student entrepreneurship remains important. Integrating theory of planned behavior and person-environment fit theory, we investigated how perceived university support relates to students’ attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, which in turn impact entrepreneurial intentions. Moreover, moderating effects were investigated of the need for autonomy. Data were collected among 395 Chinese students. Results showed that perceived university support related indirectly to students’ entrepreneurial intentions through subjective norms and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Though perceived university support significantly related to attitudes toward entrepreneurship, attitudes toward entrepreneurship did not significantly predict entrepreneurial intentions. As expected, the higher students’ need for autonomy, the stronger were the positive effects of perceived university support on attitudes toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Taking students’ needs differences into account, this study provides valuable new insights to evaluate the effectiveness of current university support practices and policies.