Outbound South Australian students are playing an important role in the two-way relationship that ensures young people can feel at home when they study in a new country.
StudyAdelaide Chief Executive Jane Johnston said the social and economic benefits of a healthy international education sector relied on South Australians warmly welcoming international students as well as global cities embracing our students when they are abroad.
”Students from all over the world including South Australian students are keen to make global connections, learn another language, experience other cultures and broaden their world views, skills and career prospects through overseas study,” she said.
“While international students are incredibly important to our state’s economy, the contribution of our own children studying overseas is a crucial ingredient in the overall success of our sector.”
South Australian students soon will be applying for various 2026 study tours, semester exchanges, work integrated learning and internships offered through the new Adelaide University and Flinders University , as well as local schools.
They will return with broadened horizons and expanded skill sets that will position them to be valuable talent in the state’s future workforce.
Claudia and Seline
Just a year after completing a semester of her degree overseas, Claudia Kretschmer has landed a job at home in Adelaide where her international experience is central to her daily work.
Claudia 21, undertook a semester in Vienna, Austria in 2024 as part of a Bachelor of Business (Design and Marketing) and was recently successful in gaining a job at the University of South Australia, where she works on marketing Adelaide as a study destination. Her big lesson from living and studying abroad was how important it would be to understand cultural differences in marketing.
“You have to change how you market certain things for different audiences – it’s important to look at cultural differences,” Claudia said. “Even in a European country like Austria they have different cultural norms. After my exchange I thought I would like to work in tourism and I was so lucky with this job, it was the most amazing opportunity. It’ll be incredible focussing on something I love doing – I love thinking about international education every day.”
Claudia had plenty of experience selling the positives of her home country with Europeans.
“Everyone was so keen to know more about Adelaide and Australia,” she said. “I’d definitely like to work overseas one day and studying showed me how I could live there and be part of the community.”
International education also has opened a surprising pathway for18-year-old Norwegian student Seline Andreassen. While completing a year of study at Seaford Secondary College, she has discovered a new passion – playing in the ruck for Christies Beach Football Club.
“There are many reasons international study has been exciting for me – it’s a totally different environment and culture, I’m meeting new friends and learning a new sport that’s very different from any sport I’ve ever seen before.”
Seline would like to pursue a career involving the ocean, such as environmental work or marine biology and has been to the beach nearly every day during her time in Adelaide. She recommends Norway as a destination for Adelaide students. “I think they’d love it- a lot of my friends have never seen snow before and I think that would be a very good experience for them.”
Alexander and Minji
An international education is a course of action endorsed by local University of South Australia student Alexander Spyropolous and TAFE SA international student Minji Park, from South Korea.
Growing up in a close-knit Korean family and watching cooking-themed anime Yumeiro Patissiere, Minji soon had her heart set on `baking dessert to make people happy’.
Now Minji, 22, is studying at TAFE SA, pursuing a Certificate III and IV in Patisserie, following further study including secondary school at Marryatville High School.
Working part-time in a sushi shop and laying the foundations for an international culinary career through her studies, Minji also dreams of starting her own business in Adelaide.
After 11 years as an international student, regularly travelling back to Seoul, Minji regards Adelaide as a second home – and international education as one of the keys to unlocking her future. Minji also recommends South Korea as a rewarding study destination for Australian students seeking an international experience.
“I would definitely recommend studying overseas not just for study but also to experience things you haven’t experienced before,” she said. “A lot of people would enjoy studying in Korea. Everything is there for you on every street of every city – especially in Seoul, you have a lot of places to go. It’s really safe – I think it’s a really good place to start.”
Last year University of South Australia student Alexander Spyropoulos, 22, did just that – as he launches what he hopes one day will be a career with an international flavour. Now in his final year of a Bachelor of Marketing and Communications, Alexander lived in Korea for a semester.
Through the University of South Australia’s partnership with Seoul’s Chung Ang University, he studied and interned at the university, practising valuable marketing and communications skills, including event emceeing, for his future career.
While there were 400 overseas students in Seoul when he was there, predominantly from the United States and France, Alexander’s closest new friendships were formed with local Korean students, through whom he experienced an authentic and immersive cultural experience.
“It felt like I was in a completely different world,” Alexander said.
“Because of everything I’d heard, I had the highest expectations going in and it was even better than I expected.
“I definitely learned skills related to my degree. Independence is the main thing you get from it, and you build up a lot of courage, being strong enough to go out and do your own thing in a completely different environment.”
Like Minji, Alexander hopes his career will involve more international experiences.
“Finding home in a new country is something I never expected,” he said.
Alexander said he is grateful that a New Colombo Plan grant enabled him to have “a once-in-a-lifetime experience” and he enjoyed the opportunity to represent Adelaide overseas.
“We have such a big international student presence here in Adelaide, it’s important for us to spread that back out as well,” he said.
StudyAdelaide hosts a range of activities and social events to ensure that international students have an enjoyable and rewarding experience in Adelaide.
“Our research shows that international students consistently rate us as a safe and welcoming community and we thank all South Australians for making international students feel at home here.” Ms Johnston said.
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