The current literature on social entrepreneurship still presents certain gaps that have to be addressed through some empirical studies. For example, the crucial impact of entrepreneurial knowledge (EK) and perceived university support (PUS) on the students’ social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) has been recognised. However, the direct influence of both factors on SEI in an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model is scarce. Besides, the moderation effect of prior experiences on SEI is also limited. Therefore, this study intends to address these gaps by exploring the factors that affect university students’ SEI through an extended TPB model, integrating EK and PUS as additional predictors, while prior experiences are also included as a moderator. The study collected 216 valid responses from university students in Malaysia, and the proposed hypotheses were further analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that the students’ intention to become social entrepreneurs was significantly influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, EK, and PUS. Besides, the effect of PUS on SEI was significantly strengthened by prior experiences. Several significant implications have been associated with the findings of the study, and it might further contribute to the existing knowledge and also for stakeholders in encouraging students to take part in social entrepreneurship.
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