Financial literacy among the educated: An exploratory study of selected university students in South Africa

Abstract The challenges associated with financial illiteracy are increasingly becoming a topical issue. Consequently, there is a growing body of literature explaining the antecedents and consequents of financial illiteracy. While most of these studies report on the experience from the developed world, very little is known on the subject matter in emerging economies. This study attempts to address this paucity in the body of knowledge by investigating the nature and extent of financial literacy in South Africa. Given that the literature acknowledges that financial illiteracy is a problem faced across the entire spectrum of society, including the uneducated and the educated, this study investigates financial illiteracy among university students, a section of the South African population that could be classified as being educated. A self‐administered financial literacy scale was administered to a sample of 214 students from a large South African metropolitan university. Overall, results indicate moderate levels of financial illiteracy; suggesting that even among the educated, there is a need to reinforce basic financial concepts. Some implications for financial service providers in interacting with literate consumers who may be financially illiterate are provided. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.