Radisich went on to study arts, law and commerce at the University of Western Australia. Radisich became involved in student politics while at university, and served as a member of the National Union of Students executive, and the Vice-President (Asia-Pacific) of the International Union of Socialist Youth. While at university, she worked two jobs, as a check-out operator at a budget cosmetics chain and a research officer. She was juggling these commitments with the final year of her degree when she won pre-selection to contest the theoretically safe Liberal seat of Swan Hills as the Labor candidate for the 2001 state election.