Financial Resilience and Wellbeing in College Students Within the Sustainable Development Goals Framework

Financial resilience has gained increasing attention due to its close relationship with individual wellbeing, financial inclusion, and sustainable development. This study examines how university students perceive and experience financial resilience, focusing on their perceptions, lived experiences, and actions undertaken to cope with adverse financial situations. Using data collected from 256 university students and applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study adapts a validated financial resilience scale based on financial health indicators proposed by BBVA and the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI). The results support a three-factor structure reflecting actions, perceptions, and lived experiences related to financial resilience, although some indicators were excluded to achieve a parsimonious and theoretically coherent model. The findings provide empirical evidence on financial resilience in a young and potentially vulnerable population and contribute to the conceptual alignment of financial resilience with Sustainable Development Goals SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).