Adelaide is known as one of the most student-friendly cities in Australia. It’s also been named the happiest and most liveable city in Australia.
Our relaxed and balanced lifestyle, affordability, and welcoming communities will create a smooth transition for your arrival and first few weeks settling in.
Airport Arrival: StudyAdelaide Airport Welcome Desk
Once you arrive in Adelaide, you may feel a rush of emotions: excited, a bit nervous, but mostly eager to start your new life in Adelaide.
Our friendly Student Ambassadors will be one of the first faces you will see upon your arrival, with a warm welcoming smile at our StudyAdelaide Airport Welcome Desk.
Located outside the international arrivals at Adelaide Airport, they will provide you with a free gift bag filled with information, tips, a map of Adelaide and gifts.
Make sure to come and say hello and collect your gift bag. Our Ambassadors look forward to meeting you!
Click here to watch the video of our Student Ambassador, Gurnar, welcoming new students arriving in Adelaide!
Finding Accommodation: Student accommodation options
Still need to organise or find your accommodation?
Don’t stress, there are many accommodation options in Adelaide. These include residential colleges, student accommodation, renting a room or a house, homestay, institution-managed accommodation, or managed housing.
It’s essential to find the right one for you, conduct thorough research, and protect yourself against accommodation scams. Just in case, click here to learn more about what scams to watch out for.
For more tips about accommodation in Adelaide, click here. Ensure you also understand the application process so you have a smooth transition in your new home.
Check out our $10 and under Kmart Essentials guide for all your study, homewares, and kitchen essentials!
Finding a Job: Free Job Shop Workshops
Now you have arrived, you might be wondering how and where do I find a job in Adelaide?
JobShop is your first stop for your job search as an international student. With a range of part-time and casual roles, including volunteer opportunities offered to international students in Adelaide.
Our Student Ambassadors shared some helpful tips about finding a job in Adelaide, including what they wish they had known before their arrival. Click here to watch the video and find out what they said.
StudyAdelaide also provides support for new international students ready to find a part-time or casual role with free Job Shop Support Workshops. This workshop is designed for new international students. You’ll learn:
-
Tips on how to create an Australian-style resume and cover letter
-
Your work rights and the minimum wage in Australia
-
What you need before starting work in Adelaide
-
Why cover letters matter in Australia
-
Where to find jobs
-
How to use StudyAdelaide’s Employment Toolkit
Once you are in your job, it’s important to understand how to maintain your work-study balance and how to recognise workplace issues. This isn’t common, but it’s important to know what to do just in case something goes wrong.
Making friends and meeting new people: Welcome Party
It can be daunting arriving in a new place and not knowing anyone, but don’t stress, you’re not the only one.
Many StudyAdelaide events can help build your network and meet new friends in the international student community.
Top Tip: Sign up to our free weekly Student Newsletter, which shares What’s Happening and a range of free and discounted events offered to international students in Adelaide. It also includes discounts, employment opportunities, helpful tips and more!
Our Welcome Party is our biggest event of the year and is also a great opportunity for you to meet other international students and make new friends. This event is held around the start of Semester 1 to celebrate the beginning of the academic year and welcome our new international students.
Tickets are only $5 and include food, a soft drink, entertainment and more. It's an event not to miss!
Want more tips on how to make new friends as an international student in Adelaide? Click here!
Also, our friendly Student Ambassadors are always here to help and are ready to have a chat at our events! They have been in the position you are in and have many tips and recommendations to share with you. Meet our 2025 Student Ambassadors here!
Support is available for you
As a new student, it’s important to know that you’re not alone, and if you need help, there are a range of support services available for you, and the majority are free.
Most of the major study institutions have dedicated student support offered to help students, such as counselling, health services, academic support plus more!
Headspace and Beyond Blue also offer free counselling services.
Want to learn more about the healthcare system in Adelaide? Click here to find out!
Feeling a bit homesick or overwhelmed? Don’t worry, there are lots of support services here to assist! Click here to read a guide if you need some extra support, advice or someone to talk to.
Explore Adelaide: Things to do
Adelaide is filled with a range of things to explore, see and do!
Don’t know where to start? Check out our guide for things to do in Adelaide for free.
Fun fact: Did you know Adelaide is known as the festival state of Australia?
Adelaide also has lots to discover if you want to explore the well-known food scene and culture.
Once you are in assignment and exam season, you may want to find some café study spots. Check out our guide to 5 Adelaide CBD cafes to try!
Settling In: What your first few weeks may look like
Expect a mix of excitement and adjustment. Most students go through a similar pattern:
-
Orientation events: Campus tours, meet and greets, and welcome events.
-
Setting up essentials: Bank accounts, phone plans, public transport. Click here to watch our Ambassadors sharing some key tips.
-
Finding your routine: Balancing study, social life, and part-time work.