A South Australian student charged with being a member of Islamic State has been refused bail after the magistrate ruled there was a risk she would undertake politically motivated attacks if released.

The woman, 22, whose identity is suppressed, was arrested in Adelaide western suburbs in May and charged with knowingly being a member of a terrorist organisation.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard the woman allegedly pledged her dedication to Islamic State last October after communicating online with extremists.

In applying for bail, the woman's lawyer, Craig Caldicott, said his client would fight the charge and was not a flight risk.

"There's no suggestion she has engaged in any acts of politically motivated violence. There's no suggestion of anything like that and also there is no suggestion that she is going to abscond," he told the court.

"Sometimes it's a judgment call and in this case I respectfully submit it's an appropriate judgment call [to grant bail], otherwise a young woman, 22 years of age, will be locked up for a long period of time."

Commonwealth prosecutor Anne Barnett told the court there was a risk the woman would carry out "acts of politically motivated violence within Australia if released".

"In my submission even the strictest of conditions wouldn't prevent the most motivated of persons from carrying out these acts," she said.

Family and friends 'unaware' of woman's links

Ms Barnett said the woman allegedly committed the crime from her home without the knowledge of her family and friends and it was therefore a risk to release her back into that environment.

"She has been escalating and undertaking this conduct in a clandestine way in the confines of her bedroom and unknown to not only her community but her immediate family," Ms Barnett said.

The court heard the woman allegedly tried to fly to Istanbul last year using a one-way ticket but was arrested by Australian Federal Police, interviewed, and her passport cancelled.

The court heard police had planted covert listening devices in the woman's home and had been investigating her for months before she was charged.

Ms Barnett said despite the woman knowing police were investigating her it did not deter her from continuing to communicate online with extremists.

The court heard the woman's "mentor" had carried out a knife and bomb attack on police in Kenya last year.

Ms Barnett said the protection of the community was important.

"Islamic State has called for an increase in attacks against the west during Ramadan, which is still ongoing," she said.

Magistrate Ian White refused bail, saying there were no exceptional circumstances warranting her release from jail.

A large group of supporters from the woman's community attended the hearing.

The woman watched proceedings via a video link from jail.

Outside court Mr Caldicott indicated he would likely appeal against the magistrate's decision to refuse bail.