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Study in Grafschaft Bentheim district

Grafschaft Bentheim is a rural district on the Dutch border, with small towns, cycling routes and student life shaped by commuting.

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Landscape view across the Vechtesee in Nordhorn
Photo: Heribert Duling (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 de (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Grafschaft Bentheim is a rural district (Landkreis) in Lower Saxony with 144,543 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Grafschaft Bentheim district itself; the nearest is Akademie St. Franziskus Katholische Bildungsstätte im Sozial-Gesundheitswesen GmbH in Lingen (Ems), about 21 km away. Summers average 17.8 °C and winters 3.3 °C, with about 812 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Grafschaft Bentheim district in numbers

Population

144,543Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

981.79 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

Akademie St. Franziskus Katholische Bildungsstätte im Sozial-Gesundheitswesen GmbH, Lingen (Ems)Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 21 km away in a straight line

Average temperature

10.4 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,551 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Grafschaft Bentheim district

Grafschaft Bentheim lies on the Dutch border in western Lower Saxony. Much of its landscape is flat, with fields, meadows, waterways and cycle routes extending into the neighbouring Netherlands (Lower Saxony (opens in a new tab)).

Nordhorn's textile heritage, Bad Bentheim's sandstone castle and spa facilities, and Schüttorf's historic centre give the district distinct town identities. Outside them, cycling and countryside outings are central to the area's appeal (Lower Saxony (opens in a new tab), Schüttorf Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

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

There is no university in Grafschaft Bentheim. Nearby study options include Akademie St. Franziskus in Lingen and the universities in Münster, including the University of Münster and FH Münster. For Lingen, investigate the direct bus routes from Nordhorn before choosing housing (VGB (opens in a new tab)). For Münster, test the complete journey to your teaching location rather than judging by map distance. Local apprenticeships and dual-study routes are another option promoted by the district (district careers guide (opens in a new tab)). This is worth considering if you prefer countryside access or have a local work placement; do not assume lower rent will compensate for a demanding commute.

  • Akademie St. Franziskus Katholische Bildungsstätte im Sozial-Gesundheitswesen GmbH

    Lingen (Ems) · 21 km away · 1 courses

  • Kunstakademie Münster, Hochschule für Bildende Künste

    Münster · 68 km away · 9 courses

  • University of Münster

    Münster · 70 km away · 314 courses

  • FH Münster University of Applied Sciences

    Münster · 70 km away · 133 courses

  • Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei

    Münster, Westfalen · 71 km away · 3 courses

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Housing

Start with ordinary rental housing through local providers and private landlords. GEWO maintains a local property search, while ImmoScout24 has a dedicated Nordhorn rental overview (GEWO (opens in a new tab), ImmoScout24 (opens in a new tab)). The evidence checked does not establish whether affordable student-sized accommodation is currently plentiful or scarce.

How to find a place

  • Check GEWO's rental offers and contact its lettings team about suitable small apartments in Nordhorn and the surrounding area (GEWO (opens in a new tab)).
  • Use the Nordhorn overview on ImmoScout24 to compare available apartments; check whether each advertised price excludes heating and other running costs (ImmoScout24 (opens in a new tab)).
  • For study in Lingen, compare addresses against the routes of buses 80 and 981, which connect Nordhorn and Lingen by different paths (VGB (opens in a new tab)).
  • For rail commuting, prioritise access to a station and test your actual morning and evening journeys before signing a lease (Bentheimer Eisenbahn (opens in a new tab)).

Cost of living

Budget for the full housing-and-commuting combination; a reliable comparison showing that student living here is cheaper than in Münster was not established. The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month through December 2026; DB lists €66.80 from January 2027. Check whether your institution already provides a semester ticket before buying another subscription (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). There are inexpensive cultural options: the Povelturm museum lists free admission, and the NINO-Hochbau museum lists €3 admission for students with proof, checked November 2026 (Povelturm (opens in a new tab), NINO-Hochbau (opens in a new tab)).

Jobs & employers

Concrete local employment sectors include machinery manufacturing, starch and food ingredients, and healthcare. Student entry routes are particularly clear at Neuenhauser and Emsland Group, whose careers pages describe placements, thesis opportunities or holiday work; these are opportunities to investigate, not guarantees of a current vacancy (Neuenhauser (opens in a new tab), Emsland Group (opens in a new tab), EUREGIO-KLINIK (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

The RB56 links Neuenhaus, Nordhorn and Bad Bentheim, generally hourly. Its published timetable gives about 19 minutes from Nordhorn to Bad Bentheim, where onward regional and long-distance connections are available (Bentheimer Eisenbahn timetable (opens in a new tab)). From Bad Bentheim, a typical RB61 journey to Osnabrück Hbf takes about 49 minutes and serves Schüttorf and Rheine on the way (DB station timetable (opens in a new tab)). For Münster, change at Rheine for a southbound service such as RB65; allow separately for transfers and travel from the station to campus (eurobahn (opens in a new tab)). Nordhorn–Lingen buses 80 and 981 provide another commuting corridor (VGB (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers participating local buses and regional trains, including RB56, but not ordinary ICE journeys (Bentheimer Eisenbahn (opens in a new tab), Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Check the live timetable for your travel date.

Main stations
Nearest airport

Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO)

The nearest commercial airport to Nordhorn (Rome2Rio (opens in a new tab)). One public-transport approach is by rail to Münster Hbf and then airport bus S50 or R51; check the complete connection against your flight time (FMO (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Nordhorn-Blanke (8 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

3.3 °C

71 mm rain a month

1.8 h sun a day

Spring

9.9 °C

52 mm rain a month

5.4 h sun a day

Summer

17.8 °C

78 mm rain a month

6.5 h sun a day

Autumn

10.5 °C

70 mm rain a month

3.3 h sun a day

Expect cool, damp winters, brighter spring days and generally mild summers, with rain possible throughout the year. Waterproof clothing is a practical investment if you plan to cycle regularly. Winter brings local traditions such as midwinter horn blowing, while Bad Bentheim's annual Christmas market takes place on the second Advent weekend (Grafschaft Bentheim Tourism (opens in a new tab), Bad Bentheim Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local identity includes Grafschafter Platt, a regional form of Low German, and traditions shared across the Dutch border. Winter customs include midwinter horn blowing and Nikolaus dice games for prizes (Heimatverein Grafschaft Bentheim (opens in a new tab), Grafschaft Bentheim Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

For evenings out, start with Nordhorn's Alte Weberei, whose programme includes concerts, cabaret and comedy, or the café-bar in the Povelturm (Alte Weberei (opens in a new tab), Povelturm (opens in a new tab)). Think in terms of checking individual venues and events when planning your social life here.

Ask individual landlords, employers and offices whether they can help in English; do not plan your move around universal English-language service. As a practical learning target, aim for B1–B2 German for independent everyday life and job hunting, while checking any formal requirements separately. You may also hear Grafschafter Platt, a regional variety of Low German with differences between the northern and southern parts of the district (Heimatverein Grafschaft Bentheim (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Prinzessinengarten inside Burg Bentheim

    Prinzessinengarten inside Burg Bentheim

  • View over Nordhorn town centre

    View over Nordhorn town centre

Student experiences

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Studying in Grafschaft Bentheim district: FAQ

Is there a university in Grafschaft Bentheim?

There is no university in Grafschaft Bentheim. Nearby study options include Akademie St. Franziskus in Lingen and institutions in Münster, including the University of Münster and FH Münster.

Is Grafschaft Bentheim a good place to live as a student?

Consider it if you have a local placement or enjoy cycling and countryside access; the district has an extensive cycling landscape along the Dutch border (Lower Saxony (opens in a new tab)). For regular classes elsewhere, test the full commute before choosing accommodation.

How do I get from Nordhorn to Lingen?

VGB lists bus 80 via Lohne and Klausheide, and bus 981 via Lohne, Wietmarschen and other settlements, between Nordhorn and Lingen (VGB (opens in a new tab)). Check the current timetable for your class times and return journey.

Is Grafschaft Bentheim expensive for students?

A reliable current student-rent benchmark was not verified, so a precise monthly budget or saving compared with Münster would be misleading. Compare actual rental offers and commuting costs together (GEWO (opens in a new tab), ImmoScout24 (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Grafschaft Bentheim?

Emsland Group advertises student holiday-work routes in production, laboratories and administration (Emsland Group (opens in a new tab)). Neuenhauser offers practical semesters and thesis placements in Neuenhaus; availability and eligibility must be checked directly (Neuenhauser (opens in a new tab)).

Can I use the Deutschlandticket in Grafschaft Bentheim?

Yes: RB56 accepts the Deutschlandticket, and the ticket covers participating local buses and regional trains (Bentheimer Eisenbahn (opens in a new tab), Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Ordinary ICE journeys from Bad Bentheim require a separate ticket.

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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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