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Study in Aurich district

Aurich is a rural North Sea district in East Frisia, with coastal towns, islands and commuting options for students in nearby Emden.

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Historic waterfront buildings in Greetsiel in the early morning
Photo: Matthias Süßen (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Aurich is a rural district (Landkreis) in Lower Saxony with 188,816 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Aurich district itself; the nearest is University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer in Emden, about 18 km away. Summers average 16.8 °C and winters 2.9 °C, with about 862 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Aurich district in numbers

Population

188,816Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,287.35 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

147Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

NoneWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Nearest university

University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, EmdenWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 18 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€7.95/m² cold — Norden exampleSource (opens in a new tab)

Illustrative table entry in Norden’s official 2025 Mietspiegel: a 40 m² apartment in a multi-family building with construction year 1975, average location and standard age-appropriate specification. Based on rents agreed or adjusted during 2019–2024. Excludes utilities; this is neither a district average nor a current asking rent.

Average temperature

9.7 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

862 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,614 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

33 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

About Aurich district

Aurich district lies in East Frisia, in north-western Lower Saxony. It includes inland towns, the North Sea coast and the islands of Juist, Norderney and Baltrum. Aurich town is the district’s administrative centre (Landkreis Aurich (opens in a new tab)).

The district combines holiday destinations with working towns. Greetsiel has a fishing harbour and historic gabled houses, while Aurich has employers in wind energy and dairy production. This gives the area a mix of coastal tourism and industrial employment (Ostfriesland Tourism (opens in a new tab), ENERCON (opens in a new tab), MEGGLE (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

No university in Aurich district itself — these are the nearest (straight-line distance).

There is no university in Aurich district. The nearest university is the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer in neighbouring Emden; further options include Jade University in Wilhelmshaven and the University of Oldenburg. From Aurich town, bus 410 takes approximately 52 minutes from the central bus station to Emden Hbf, before the onward journey to campus, so test the full commute against your timetable (Kreisbahn Aurich timetable (opens in a new tab)). Living here is worth considering if you prefer a smaller-town setting or have a local placement: ENERCON explicitly offers dual study at its Aurich location (ENERCON (opens in a new tab)).

  • University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer

    Emden · 18 km away · 44 courses

  • Jade University of Applied Sciences Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth

    Wilhelmshaven · 49 km away · 63 courses

  • University of Oldenburg

    Oldenburg · 66 km away · 123 courses

  • IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg

    Oldenburg (Oldb) · 68 km away · 2 courses

  • Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences

    Bremerhaven · 80 km away · 26 courses

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Housing

Plan primarily around private rentals, and compare individual towns rather than assuming one district-wide market. Norden’s official rent study distinguishes the town from Norddeich, where its limited sample showed higher rents. It does not establish whether student housing is currently easy to find (Norden Mietspiegel 2025, hosted by Claashen (opens in a new tab)). The local Studierendenwerk lists residences in Emden, outside Aurich district (Studierendenwerk Oldenburg (opens in a new tab)).

The typical student rent we found, and what that figure covers, is in the key facts.

How to find a place

Cost of living

Budget for housing and transport together. The Norden rent benchmark above excludes utilities, so ask for the full monthly payment and heating costs (Norden Mietspiegel 2025 (opens in a new tab)). A separately purchased Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in 2026; DB lists €66.80 from January 2027 (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The nearby university describes accommodation around Emden and Leer as relatively affordable compared with other cities, so moving into Aurich district should not automatically be treated as a saving (University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer (opens in a new tab)).

Jobs & employers

Useful employment sectors include wind energy, food production, healthcare and coastal hospitality. ENERCON offers student placements and working-student opportunities, while MEGGLE operates the former Rücker dairy in Aurich. These are leads to investigate according to your subject and experience, not guarantees of a suitable vacancy (ENERCON (opens in a new tab), MEGGLE (opens in a new tab)). Norddeich hospitality businesses also recruit part-time staff (Evers Norddeich (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Bus routes matter particularly when choosing a home in Aurich town: route 410 links Aurich ZOB with Emden Hbf in approximately 52 minutes on standard departures (Kreisbahn Aurich (opens in a new tab)). Norden has direct RE1 trains taking about 30 minutes to Emden, 1 hour 36 minutes to Oldenburg and 2 hours 18 minutes to Bremen in the published timetable; check your travel date for changes (DB RE1 timetable (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses and regional trains (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). For Juist and Norderney, ferries depart from Norddeich Mole; check ferry tickets separately (DB island travel (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Bremen Airport — practical international gateway

Aurich’s tourism office recommends Bremen for international arrivals, with onward rail travel to Leer and bus 460 to Aurich. Smaller regional airfields are closer; the best airport depends on your flight route and destination within the district (Aurich Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Aurich (7 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.9 °C

70 mm rain a month

1.7 h sun a day

Spring

8.8 °C

51 mm rain a month

5.8 h sun a day

Summer

16.8 °C

85 mm rain a month

6.7 h sun a day

Autumn

10.3 °C

82 mm rain a month

3.4 h sun a day

Expect cool winters, mild summers and rain throughout the year. Waterproof layers are useful for a daily bus-and-walk commute, and summer does not guarantee beach weather. The warmer months offer more daylight for exploring after classes, while winter suits indoor study breaks and regional food traditions such as Grünkohl and New Year pastries (Ostfriesland Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

East Frisian tea culture is a good introduction to local life: rock sugar goes into the cup first, followed by tea and a small cloud of cream; traditionally, you do not stir. Low German, locally called Plattdeutsch, also remains part of everyday and working life (Ostfriesische Landschaft (opens in a new tab), Ostfriesland Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

For evenings out, look at individual venues and the local events calendar rather than expecting campus-centred nightlife. Aurich’s Stadtfest brings live music into the town centre, and Wiesmoor’s Blütenfest revolves around decorated floats and community celebrations (Aurich Stadtfest (opens in a new tab), Wiesmoor Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Do not plan around guaranteed English-language service: check directly with prospective landlords and employers. As a practical learning goal, conversational German will help with everyday arrangements, and stronger German will widen your employment options; requirements depend on the role. You may also hear East Frisian Plattdeutsch, a form of Low German used in daily and working life, but learning Standard German should come first (Ostfriesland Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Aurich Castle

    Aurich Castle

  • The red-and-yellow Pilsum lighthouse viewed from below

    The red-and-yellow Pilsum lighthouse viewed from below

Student experiences

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Studying in Aurich district: FAQ

Is Aurich district a good place to live as a student?

It can suit students who prefer smaller towns and have a workable commute or a local placement. From Aurich ZOB, the standard bus journey to Emden Hbf takes about 52 minutes before onward travel to campus, so location matters (Kreisbahn Aurich (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Aurich district?

There is no university in the district. The nearest option is the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer in neighbouring Emden; ENERCON also offers dual-study opportunities at its Aurich workplace (ENERCON (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Aurich to the university in Emden?

Take bus 410 from Aurich ZOB to Emden Hbf, then plan the onward connection to your campus building. The main bus leg takes approximately 52 minutes on standard departures (Kreisbahn Aurich timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Is Aurich district expensive for students?

There is no verified district-wide student budget here. Norden’s official rent study distinguishes between town housing and higher-priced Norddeich, so compare the full rent and commute for each address (Norden Mietspiegel 2025 (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Aurich district?

Local leads include restaurant service, reception and cleaning work in Norddeich, plus ENERCON’s student placements and working-student programme. Check location, qualifications and working hours for each opportunity (Evers Norddeich (opens in a new tab), ENERCON (opens in a new tab)).

Are there student residences in Aurich district?

No Studierendenwerk residence within the district was verified for this guide. Studierendenwerk Oldenburg lists residences in neighbouring Emden, which should be considered separately from Aurich district housing (Residence directory (opens in a new tab)).

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Sources & photo credits

Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.

Sources

Photo credits

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