Abstract This study aims to provide a better understanding of why and how entrepreneurial education increases the inclination to start-up. The study investigates the moderating role of team cooperation on the effect of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial passion. Survey results from 221 undergraduate students from entrepreneurship programs were used for correlation, regression, and mediation analysis. By integrating social cognitive theory and self-regulation theory, this study proposes a dual-process model and investigates the mediating effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial passion on the relationship between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, this study enhances our knowledge of why and how entrepreneurial education improves business students’ entrepreneurial intention. It also contributed to the entrepreneurial education literature by testing the role of team cooperation as the boundary condition.