Higher　education　institutions　(HEIs),　among　other　social　systems,　have　an　irreplaceable　role　in　combating　COVID-19.　However,　we　know　little　about　institutional　and　individual　factors　that　might　facilitate　university　students＇　beliefs　and　behaviors　toward　preventive　behaviors　for　COVID-19　within　the　higher　education　context.　Our　study　applies　an　extended　theory　of　planned　behavior　(TPB)　model　to　investigate　the　structural　relationships　among　the　institutional　climate,　attitudes,　subjective　norms,　perceived　behavioral　control　and　preventive　behaviors　of　university　students　and　to　detect　the　moderating　impacts　of　perceived　risk　on　the　structural　model.　Data　were　collected　from　3693　university　students　at　18　universities　in　Beijing,　China　through　an　online　survey.　Structural　equation　modeling　(SEM)　and　multigroup　analysis　were　performed　to　examine　the　empirical　model.　The　results　reveal　that　(1)　the　institutional　climate　has　a　significant,　direct　effect　on　preventive　behaviors　for　COVID-19　among　university　students,　(2)　the　TPB　components,　namely　attitudes,　subjective　norms　and　perceived　behavioral　control,　partially　mediate　the　relationship　between　the　institutional　climate　and　preventive　behaviors　for　COVID-19,　and　(3)　perceived　risk　moderates　several　paths　in　the　model.　Theoretical　and　practical　implications　are　offered,　and　recommendations　for　future　research　are　outlined.