As environmental crises intensify, green finance emerges as a critical lever to drive sustainable development and align investments with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study investigates university students' awareness, trust in institutions, and willingness to engage in green financial practices—an underexplored yet influential demographic in shaping future sustainable economic systems. While green finance discourse is often confined to policy and institutional circles, grassroots acceptance, especially among youth in developing nations, remains limited. Leveraging Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study explores how attributes like complexity, compatibility, and observability influence students' adoption of green finance. Trust in institutions, awareness, and social influence are found to be pivotal factors driving behavioural intentions. Using SmartPLS and survey data from 245 students, the research identifies strong links between students' intent to support SDGs and their actual adoption of green financial practices. The findings underscore the importance of institutional credibility, campus initiatives, and peer dynamics in promoting sustainable finance. This work provides valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and financial institutions seeking to design inclusive, youth-centric sustainability strategies. The study calls for integrated educational and institutional interventions to close the perception gap and mobilize youth engagement in sustainable finance.