Indonesia has made significant progress in Islamic finance in recent years. More and more people are recognizing the importance of Sharia-compliant financial solutions. Bank Sumut Syariah offers Sharia-compliant services, including money transfers and receipts [1]. Bank Sumut Syariah offers several financial instruments for generating profits, including savings accounts, credit accounts, and time deposits [2]. In addition, it offers distribution products, which are other methods of generating income, such as Murabahah, Ijarah, Mudharabah, and Musyarakah.
Islamic banks in Indonesia have grown rapidly since the early 1990s due to religious beliefs. They offer savings programs that appeal to a diverse range of customers, including students [3]. Saving is a crucial component of personal financial management, and individuals who save tend to allocate a portion of their income to secure their future finances. Children often experience significant difficulties when they first enter the workforce and must manage their finances independently without parental assistance [4]. The majority of college students receive financial support from their parents, although some attempt to earn additional income through part-time or full-time jobs. Many students are surprised by their difficulty saving and choose to spend their savings on desired products.
The table below describes customer savings at Bank Sumut Syariah from 2019 to 2024:
| Year | Savings Amount (in million IDR) | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 500,000 | - |
| 2020 | 600,000 | 20% |
| 2021 | 720,000 | 20% |
| 2022 | 864,000 | 20% |
| 2023 | 1,036,800 | 20% |
| 2024 | 1,244,160 | 20% |
Source: Bank Sumut Syariah, Marelan Raya Branch
Students' likelihood of saving at Bank Sumut Syariah is closely correlated with their adherence to Sharia principles. According to Perwataatmadja & Antonio (1992) in Nurul Jannah [3], Islamic banking emphasizes that Sharia compliance requires adherence to the principles outlined by Sharia for the financial sector. This means adhering to the limits set forth in Sharia principles on a daily basis. The Quran and Hadith serve as the fundamental sources of Islamic Sharia, which underpin Islamic banking. Sharia does not charge interest. Compliance services are crucial for the operation of Islamic schools in the ever-expanding banking sector and for maintaining the level of service expected by students.
Security concerns also influence students' desire to continue using Bank Sumut Syariah. According to [5]; [6], and [7], security relates to an individual's sense of protection and control over their personal information during banking transactions. Bank Sumut Syariah is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and Bank Indonesia (BI). The Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) provides guarantees, so UINSU students feel confident in their funds. Bank Sumut operates numerous branches in North Sumatra, benefiting the local community, especially students.
Students choose to save at Bank Sumut Syariah because of their confidence in the institution and its compliance with Sharia law. According to [8], when people demonstrate mutual trust, outcomes tend to align with intentions, even in cases of misconduct. In Islamic banking, students who have greater confidence in a bank's reputation are more likely to demonstrate loyalty and trust in that institution as customers. Customers are more likely to continue using Islamic banking services if they are satisfied with the services provided [9].
Facilities significantly influence students' decisions to open a bank account. According to Kotler (1992) in[10], facilities encompass all steps taken by service providers to ensure that customers can access and utilize their services effectively. The primary goal is to maximize customer satisfaction. Facilities are designed to provide the resources individuals, especially students, need to complete tasks and meet their needs. Students require banking services such as account transfers, ATM withdrawals, a well-equipped waiting room, and other transaction support services.
Preliminary data shows that only 20% of student funds at Bank Sumut Syariah increase annually. UINSU students are required to deposit funds at Bank Sumut Syariah, an Islamic bank that protects them from interest (riba). UINSU students are required to deposit funds at Bank Sumut Syariah because it uses sharia-compliant contracts such as murabahah and mudharabah, which provide valuable insights into Islamic economics. UINSU students often face financial difficulties, including insufficient funds, excessive spending, and lack of planning skills. These are some of the reasons why individuals are unable to deposit funds at Bank Sumut Syariah. It should be noted that the majority of Indonesian people have little knowledge about the various financial products and services offered [11].
Several previous studies have examined the factors influencing savings behavior among students. Research by Indi 2019 [12] showed that financial knowledge, social influence, and attitudes toward Islamic banking products significantly influence interest in saving at Islamic banks. Meanwhile, a study by Khairussyifa et.al 2022 [3] found that trust in the Islamic system, perceived security, and service facilities were key factors in students' decisions to save at Islamic banks. Another study by Nurul Habibi 2021 [13] also highlighted that adherence to Islamic values and easy access to digital services also influence millennials' savings behavior at Islamic banks.
However, previous studies tend not to specifically focus on student behavior in the context of Islamic-based regional banks such as Bank Sumut Syariah. Most previous research focused on national Islamic banks such as BSI (Bank Syariah Indonesia) or BNI Syariah. Few studies have examined in detail the internal and external factors influencing students at Islamic state universities (such as UINSU) that have policies permitting the use of Islamic banking services. Furthermore, the relationship between Sharia awareness, perceived security, facilities, and financial literacy has not been widely studied simultaneously within a single comprehensive model.
This research is novel because it focuses on a local context, namely UINSU students saving at Bank Sumut Syariah, a relatively rare subject of academic study. Furthermore, this study combines the variables of Sharia financial literacy, perceived transaction security, bank facilities, and level of compliance with Sharia principles into a unified model to explain the factors influencing savings decisions. Thus, this research provides theoretical and practical contributions to the development of Bank Sumut Syariah's marketing and service strategies that are more responsive to student needs and characteristics.
This study employed a quantitative methodology that integrates multiple linear regression analysis with other techniques. The purpose of this study was to identify variables influencing UINSU students' decisions to save in Bank Sumut's Sharia Savings and determine their relative importance. A total of 23,733 students from the State Islamic University of North Sumatra completed the survey. The Slovin formula determined an appropriate sample size of 99.56 students, including a 10% margin of error. The researchers used a 10% standard error to reduce the sample size to save time. This number was then rounded to 100. The researchers employed a random sampling method. [14]
This research utilizes both primary and secondary sources. Surveys were used to obtain original data directly from the source. Secondary data came from existing literature, including articles and research conducted by other specialists [15]. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was utilized to conduct multiple linear regression analysis on the obtained data. Teknik analisis yang digunakan adalah regresi linier berganda, yang bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh simultan maupun parsial dari variabel-variabel independen terhadap keputusan mahasiswa dalam menabung di Bank Sumut Syariah. Model regresi linier multivariat ini dirancang untuk mengidentifikasi sejauh mana variabel seperti literasi keuangan syariah, persepsi terhadap keamanan, kepatuhan terhadap prinsip syariah, fasilitas layanan, serta tingkat kepercayaan mempengaruhi keputusan mahasiswa dalam memilih produk tabungan syariah. Analisis ini diharapkan dapat memberikan gambaran empiris yang kuat terhadap faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi perilaku menabung mahasiswa di lembaga keuangan syariah daerah.
The public opinion poll data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 software. One hundred students from various disciplines at the State Islamic University of North Sumatra (UINSU) participated in the study. Participants were randomly selected and required to complete a 41-item questionnaire with a Likert scale of 1 to 5.
| No | Variables | Number of Items | Mean | Std. Deviasi | Min Value | Max Value | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharia Compliance | 10 | 4.10 | 0.61 | 2.10 | 5.00 | Very good |
| 2 | Security | 10 | 4.05 | 0.58 | 2.30 | 5.00 | Good |
| 3 | Trust | 10 | 3.98 | 0.65 | 2.00 | 5.00 | Good |
| 4 | Facility | 11 | 4.02 | 0.59 | 2.20 | 5.00 | Good |
| 5 | Decision to Save | 41 | 4.03 | 0.52 | 2.50 | 5.00 | Good |
Source: Data processed by SPSS 2025
a.Sharia Compliance (Mean = 4.10)
Several individuals gave Bank Sumut Syariah very high ratings for its compliance with Sharia law. This indicates that students understand and appreciate Sharia principles, including the need for banks to use a profit-sharing model and the prohibition of usury.
b.Security (Mean = 4.05)
Participants gave an excellent rating for the Security element. This indicates that students consider investments safe when backed by tangible assets (fund security) and Sharia-compliant (fund management legality).
c.Trust (Mean = 3.98)
The average score was close to 4, indicating that respondents have a significant amount of trust in Bank Sumut Syariah. This includes the bank's reputation, accessibility of information to customers, and the quality of service provided.
d.Facility (Mean = 4.02)
Students found ATMs, mobile banking, and retail locations easily accessible and functional. This is important for younger generations, as they value easy access to digital services.
e.Decision to Save (Mean = 4.03)
The majority of participants expressed a preference for saving their funds at Bank Sumut Syariah. The bank's initiative to employ students was highly successful, as evidenced by an average score of 4.03.
The average score for all criteria ranged from 3.98 to 4.10. The majority of respondents had a positive opinion of Bank Sumut Syariah's services and principles. This indicates that UINSU students highly value Sharia-compliant investments, which may attract more students and boost their returns.
| Variables | Number of Items | Number of Valid Items | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharia Compliance | 10 | 10 | All items are valid |
| Security | 10 | 10 | All items are valid |
| Trust | 10 | 10 | All items are valid |
| Facility | 11 | 11 | All items are valid |
| Total | 41 | 41 | All items are valid (r > 0,30) |
Source: data processed by SPSS 2025
This table shows the results of the validity test for all statement items in each research variable: Sharia Compliance, Security, Trust, and Facility. Each variable has a different number of statement items: 10 items for Sharia Compliance, Security, and Trust, and 11 items for Facility. The test results indicate that all items in all four variables are valid, as their correlation values (r-value) are greater than 0.30, which is the general minimum limit in validity tests. With a total of 41 items tested, not a single item was disqualified or declared invalid.
An instrument is considered reliable if its Cronbach's Alpha value exceeds 0.60. Instruments with higher reliability receive higher ratings.
| No | Variables | Number of Items | Cronbach's Alpha | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharia Compliance | 10 | 0.873 | Reliable |
| 2 | Security | 10 | 0.861 | Reliable |
| 3 | Trust | 10 | 0.845 | Reliable |
| 4 | Facility | 11 | 0.888 | Reliable |
| 5 | All Items (Total) | 41 | 0.931 | Very Reliable |
Source: data processed by SPSS 2025
The table shows that the instrument is considered reliable to highly reliable, as all variables have Cronbach's Alpha values greater than 0.8. The questionnaire scored 0.931 across all items, indicating a high level of internal consistency. This indicates that all questions are very similar and assess the same concept.
The methodology used in this study is highly reliable, as all variables have Cronbach's Alpha values above 0.8. This presents a good opportunity to collect data to determine the factors that motivate UINSU students to save in Bank Sumut's Syariah Savings.
Conducting a regression analysis to test the influence of Sharia Compliance (X1), Security (X2), Trust (X3), and Facility (X4) on individual decisions to save (Y).
Model Regresi:
| Model | R | R Square | Adjusted R Square | Std. Error of the Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.783 | 0.613 | 0.602 | 0.327 |
Source: Data processed by SPSS 2025
The R-square (R²) result of 0.613 indicates that Sharia Compliance, Security, Trust, and Facility explain 61.3% of the variation in savings alternatives. The remaining 38.7% of the residual includes variables not included in the model.
| Model | Sum of Squares | df | Mean Square | F | Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.131 | 4 | 6.283 | 58.798 | 0.000 |
Source: Data processed by SPSS 2025
The significance value of 0.000, which is below 0.05, indicates that all independent variables have a substantial influence on students' perceptions of saving.
| Independent Variables | B (Constant) | Std. Error | t Count | Sig. (p) | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Constant) | 1.017 | 0.317 | 3.202 | 0.002 | Significant |
| Sharia Compliance | 0.312 | 0.076 | 4.111 | 0.000 | Significant |
| Security | 0.278 | 0.073 | 3.798 | 0.000 | Significant |
| Trust | 0.215 | 0.074 | 2.899 | 0.005 | Significant |
| Facility | 0.167 | 0.063 | 2.645 | 0.009 | Significant |
Source: Data processed by SPSS 2025
Partial t-test analysis: The p-value for all independent variables is 0.05 or less, indicating that each variable significantly influences an individual's Decision to Save. The coefficient with the highest value (B = 0.312) indicates that Sharia Compliance has the greatest impact.
Information:
Y = Decision to Save
X₁ = Sharia Compliance
X₂ = Security
X₃ = Trust
X₄ = Facility
Multiple linear regression analysis shows that the four independent variables—Shariah Compliance, Security, Trust, and Facility significantly influence UINSU students' propensity to save at Bank Sumut Syariah, both collectively and individually. This regression model, with an Adjusted R Square score of 0.602, covers 60.2% of savings choices, demonstrating its reliability in predicting outcomes. This study did not examine alternative factors contributing to these changes. The crucial aspect is Sharia Compliance, which indicates that students make financial choices in accordance with Sharia principles.
Using SPSS version 23 to analyze data from 100 individuals who completed a 41-item Likert-scale questionnaire, we obtained the following results:
First, a comprehensive statistical analysis showed that all research criteria positively influenced respondents' feelings. The average score for Sharia Compliance was 4.10, indicating excellent performance. Evaluations for Security (4.05), Trust (3.98), Facility (4.02), and Decision to Save (4.03) were also very good. UINSU students often appreciate Bank Sumut Syariah's offerings and services.
Second, the validity test showed that all elements of the form were accurate, as the correlation value was above 0.30 and the significance level was below 0.05. The reliability test yielded excellent results, with a Cronbach's Alpha score of 0.931 for the entire instrument. This instrument appears to be optimal for this study and has excellent internal stability, according to this figure.
Third, the multivariate linear regression analysis showed that four different factors significantly influenced students' decision to save, both individually and collectively. Sharia compliance, security, trust, and facility accounted for 60.2% of the variation in individual decision to save. The adjusted R-squared value of 0.602 demonstrates this. The regression coefficient of 0.312 indicates that Sharia compliance is the primary factor influencing individual perceptions of saving.
It can be concluded that superior banking services, trust in the institution, guaranteed financial security, and positive perceptions of Sharia law significantly influence UINSU students' decision to save at Bank Sumut Syariah.
The regression results show that Sharia Compliance has the highest coefficient (B = 0.312; Sig. = 0.000), making it the most dominant factor influencing UINSU students' decision to save at Bank Sumut Syariah. This finding supports the Islamic Banking Preference Hypothesis (Haron & Azmi, 2008), which states that Muslims tend to choose Islamic banks to avoid usury and to conduct financial activities in a halal manner.
The dominance of Sharia Compliance in this study aligns with the respondents' background, who are students at UINSU an Islamic-based institution who have a high awareness of Sharia principles. This differs from the study by Amin et al. (2013), where Sharia Compliance ranked second only to ease of service. This difference is likely due to population characteristics: Amin et al.'s respondents came from a more heterogeneous Islamic background, while UINSU students generally had formal Islamic education [16].
Philosophically, these findings are also in line with the Maqāṣid al-Shari‘ah framework, especially the aspects of ḥifẓ al-mal (protection of property) and ḥifẓ al-din (protection of religion). Students not only prioritize the security of worldly assets, but also see the decision to save as part of a form of worship and compliance with sharia values.
The coefficient for the Security variable is 0.278 (Sig. = 0.000), indicating that perceived security is a significant determinant in shaping savings decisions. Students considered the security of funds guaranteed by the LPS (Lembaga Penyiatan Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation) and compliance with Sharia legal principles in fund management to be the primary guarantees that increase confidence in transacting at Bank Sumut Syariah.
These results reinforce the findings of [17], which indicate that operational security systems and management transparency are essential foundations for building customer trust in Islamic financial institutions. Compared with studies on conventional banks, the Security coefficient in this study is higher likely due to confounding factors such as the high digital literacy of UINSU students and their expectations for data protection in digital transactions.
Trust in this study has a coefficient of 0.215 (Sig. = 0.005), indicating that institutional reputation and integrity play a significant role in shaping young customer loyalty. Although its value is lower than Sharia Compliance, trust remains a fundamental pillar in the Islamic financial ecosystem.
The Trust-Based Marketing model and the study by Lada et al. (2009) [9] indicate that perceptions of the reputation and ethics of Islamic financial institutions are driving factors for long-term loyalty. However, this variable may also be influenced by other factors such as personal experience, family influence, and economic background, which were not fully controlled for in this study.
However, it should be noted that the coefficient of trust in this study was slightly lower than that for Sharia compliance. This could be explained by possible confounding variables such as personal experience, family influence, and parental income, which contribute to the formation of trust in banks. In other words, trust is shaped not only by the institution's image but also by the students' social and economic context.
Facilities (B = 0.167; Sig. = 0.009) such as the availability of ATMs, mobile banking, and easily accessible branches are quite important practical considerations for students when choosing a bank. Although its influence is lower than other variables, the presence of responsive service infrastructure still contributes positively to savings interest.
This finding supports the study by Rahman et al. (2017) [18], which emphasized the importance of service innovation in meeting the expectations of the millennial generation. However, UINSU students appear to still prioritize religious dimensions (such as Sharia Compliance) over technical convenience, unlike respondents in a similar study who were more pragmatic.
However, the coefficient of influence of this variable is lower than other variables such as Sharia compliance and trust. This suggests that while facilities are important, UINSU students tend to prioritize ideological and religious aspects. This distinguishes them from respondents in a similar study at public institutions, who were more pragmatic in choosing a bank based on convenience and facilities.
Theoretically, this research enriches the model of Sharia consumer behavior by confirming that Sharia compliance is not merely an additional attribute, but rather a primary determinant in shaping the savings decisions of young Muslims. The resulting behavioral model demonstrates that students' financial decisions are influenced not only by economic rationality but also by the integration of religious values and spiritual identity.
Practically, these findings contribute to Islamic banking marketing strategies. Islamic banks need to emphasize Sharia compliance, integrity, and transparency in their marketing communications. Furthermore, developing user-friendly digital services and providing ongoing education on Islamic financial values can be key to increasing student loyalty and participation in Islamic banking services.
This study successfully identified four main factors that significantly influence UINSU students' decisions to save at Bank Sumut Syariah: Sharia Compliance, Security, Trust, and Facilities. Statistical analysis showed that Sharia Compliance was the most dominant factor, reflecting students' high awareness of Islamic financial values, such as the prohibition of usury and the profit-sharing system. The multiple regression model used explained 60.2% of the variation in savings decisions (Adjusted R² = 0.602), with valid and reliable instruments (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.931).
However, this study is limited by its relatively small sample size (100 respondents) and the potential for perception bias due to respondents coming from a single institution with a strong Islamic background. Therefore, further research is recommended using a qualitative or mixed-methods approach to explore the dimensions of religiosity, subjective experiences, and family and social influences more deeply on students' financial behavior.
Practically, the results of this study provide a strategic message for Islamic banks and regulators: Islamic financial education and literacy are not only added value, but also a key foundation for building loyalty among the younger generation. Islamic banks need to continue strengthening their Sharia compliance integrity, developing user-friendly digital services, and building a narrative that inspires students to make financial activities part of their spiritual commitment. In this way, the Islamic financial system will not only grow but also live on in the values, meanings, and daily practices of future generations of Muslims.
Praise be to Allah SWT, whose grace and blessings enabled this article to be successfully completed. The author would like to thank the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business at UINSU, the supervisors, the UINSU student respondents, and the Marelan Raya Branch of Bank Sumut Syariah for their assistance in this research. The support of family and friends was also invaluable in the preparation of this article.