Last Updated: 7 October 2026
Australia continues to need skilled tourism and hospitality workers, particularly across regional areas.
Why Study Tourism & Hospitality in Adelaide?
South Australia is one of the states actively growing its visitor economy, with the South Australian Government targeting 4,400 additional tourism jobs by 2030.
For international students, Adelaide also offers another major advantage: it is classified as a Category 2 designated regional area for migration purposes.This can give eligible graduates access to regional post-study work benefits and, depending on their occupation and circumstances, potential pathways through:
- Employer sponsorship
- South Australia’s DAMA
- State-nominated skilled migration
Combined with growing industry demand, comparatively affordable living costs and a strong tourism and hospitality sector, Adelaide provides international students with a practical place to study, work and build their long-term career.
Build Your Career With TAFE SA’s Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management
One pathway students should consider is TAFE SA’s Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management (National Code: CRS1400588; CRICOS Code: 099074G).
The degree combines tourism, hospitality and events knowledge with broader business and management skills including leadership, finance, marketing, human resources, entrepreneurship and strategic planning.
Students also gain practical exposure through industry projects, case studies and placement opportunities, helping them build experience that is directly relevant to the workplace.
Why Choose TAFE SA?
✔ Study With South Australia’s Largest VET Provider
TAFE SA is South Australia’s largest vocational education and training provider, delivering qualifications from certificates through to bachelor degrees.
Its education model places a strong focus on practical, employment-oriented training – particularly valuable in industries such as tourism and hospitality, where hands-on skills and industry experience are essential.
✔ Strong Industry Connections
In tourism and hospitality, industry exposure and professional connections can be just as important as the qualification itself.
As one of South Australia’s largest training providers, TAFE SA has a strong presence across the state’s hospitality workforce and industry. TAFE SA works closely with employers, industry and government, with many of its programs designed around real workplace requirements.
Bachelor students can participate in industry projects, live case studies and placement opportunities, helping them build local experience and professional networks before graduation.
✔ Flexible Pathways Based on Your Career Goals
Students are not restricted to one pathway.
Depending on their interests and career plans, they can begin through study areas such as:
- Commercial Cookery
- Patisserie
- Hospitality Management
- Event Management
- Travel and Tourism Management
These qualifications can then be packaged or articulated into the Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, with eligible diploma-level study receiving credit towards the bachelor.
Within the bachelor, students can also choose industry-focused electives across tourism, hospitality, events, sustainability, revenue management and other areas.
This gives students the flexibility to build a study pathway around the career they actually want.
✔ Train in Industry-Standard Facilities
Students study at TAFE SA’s Regency International Centre, its flagship hospitality and tourism training facility in Adelaide.
Facilities include:
- Commercial and training kitchens
- Training restaurants and bars
- Function and event spaces
- Coffee training facilities
- Wine appreciation facilities
- Production and demonstration kitchens
- Industry-standard booking and ordering systems
These facilities are designed to closely reflect real hospitality environments, helping students develop practical skills using the same types of equipment and settings they may encounter in the workplace.
✔ Complete a Bachelor for Approximately $54,455 in Tuition Fees*
TAFE SA’s Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management is also highly competitive from a cost perspective.
For international students, the current listed tuition fee is approximately AUD $54,455 for the full three-year degree, before incidental costs.
By comparison, similar three-year hospitality degrees at some private institutions can cost approximately AUD 75,000–80,000+.
For students and families comparing the overall cost of studying in Australia, this can represent a significant saving.
*Fees are indicative and subject to change. Additional materials, incidental costs, OSHC and living expenses apply.
Your Study Pathway After Year 11
For students planning their tertiary studies after secondary school, TAFE SA provides flexible pathways that can begin from approximately Year 11 level, depending on the program and student’s academic background.
For example, a student interested in becoming a chef while eventually moving into hospitality management could follow:
Certificate III in Commercial Cookery → Certificate IV in Kitchen Management → Diploma of Hospitality Management → Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management
Total Study Duration: Approximately 4 Years
Similar pathways are available through patisserie, hospitality management, event management and tourism management.
This means students can select different combinations depending on the career they want to pursue.
For example:
- Future chefs may begin through Commercial Cookery.
- Students interested in hotels and restaurants may begin through Hospitality Management.
- Students interested in tourism may begin through Travel and Tourism.
- Students interested in events may begin through Event Management.
Students can begin planning and submitting their application after completing Year 10, allowing them to secure their pathway early while continuing their Year 11 studies before commencing in Australia.
Entry requirements vary depending on the selected program and the student’s academic background.
After Graduation: Work Experience and Migration Opportunities
Graduating from an eligible Australian bachelor degree can give international students valuable time to begin their careers in Australia.
3 Years of Post-Study Work Visa
Eligible Bachelor graduates can receive a two-year Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) under the Post-Higher Education Work stream.
Because Adelaide is classified as a Category 2 designated regional area, eligible graduates who meet the relevant requirements may also qualify for an additional one year of post-study work rights.
This can potentially provide up to:
2 Years + 1 Additional Regional Year
That additional time can be valuable for graduates looking to:
- Secure relevant employment
- Build Australian work experience
- Progress into supervisory or management roles
- Meet skills assessment requirements
- Develop relationships with potential sponsoring employers
- Prepare for skilled migration opportunities
- South Australia can also provide graduates with several potential migration pathways.
Chủ Doanh Nghiệp Bảo Lãnh
Hospitality graduates who secure suitable employment may potentially progress through employer-sponsored visa pathways.
Depending on the occupation and employer, this may include pathways such as the:
- Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494)
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
Permanent employer-sponsored options may also become available later where the relevant requirements are met.
South Australia DAMA
South Australia’s Designated Area Migration Agreement provides employers with additional options to sponsor workers where positions cannot be filled locally.
Hospitality-related occupations currently appearing within South Australia’s DAMA settings include roles such as:
- Chef
- Cook
- Café or Restaurant Manager
- Hotel or Motel Manager
- Hospitality Supervisor
- Hospitality Worker
DAMA is an employer-led migration pathway, meaning graduates must secure an eligible employer and meet the relevant occupation, experience and visa requirements.
State-Nominated Skilled Migration
Depending on South Australia’s migration program and occupation lists at the time, eligible graduates may also be able to explore:
- Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa
- Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
Hospitality-related occupations have previously received invitations under South Australia’s skilled migration program.
However, migration requirements change regularly, and occupation eligibility, skills assessment requirements and state nomination criteria should always be checked based on the rules that apply at the time.
Studying tourism or hospitality does not automatically lead to permanent residency, but choosing the right qualification, occupation and location from the beginning can create significantly more options after graduation.
Plan Your Study and Career Pathway Early
Hospitality is a broad industry with career opportunities across restaurants, hotels, tourism, events, cookery and management.
The key is choosing a study pathway that aligns with the occupation you eventually want to pursue.
This is particularly important for students who are also considering future migration options, as different occupations can have very different skills assessment, work experience and visa requirements.
Apply With An Official TAFE SA Partner Agent
Hays Migration & Education is an official partner agent of TAFE SA.
With over 15 years of experience across education and migration consulting, our team can help students plan their pathway from the beginning—from choosing the right TAFE SA program and submitting their course application to preparing their student visa and understanding potential post-study options.
If you are currently completing Year 10, Year 11, Year 12 or an equivalent international qualification, our education consultants can help you identify the most suitable starting point based on your academic background and career goals.
Contact us today to explore your Tourism, Hospitality and Events study pathway in South Australia.
