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Study in Oldenburg (Oldenburg)

Oldenburg (Oldenburg) is an independent university city in Lower Saxony, with campus neighbourhoods, a historic centre and student housing.

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Oldenburg Palace viewed from the tower of St. Lamberti Church
Photo: Anaconda74 (opens in a new tab), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Oldenburg (Oldenburg) is a district-free city in Lower Saxony with 176,614 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 2 universities: University of Oldenburg (Oldenburg), IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg (Oldenburg (Oldb)). Summers average 17.3 °C and winters 2.9 °C, with about 793 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Oldenburg (Oldenburg) in numbers

Population

176,614Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

103.09 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

1,713Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

2Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

University of Oldenburg and IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg

Typical student rent

€250–300 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published rent range for furnished accommodation at the Artillerieweg student residence, as listed on the operator’s undated page, checked November 2026. This is a residence-specific range, not a citywide private-room average.

Average temperature

9.9 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,576 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Oldenburg (Oldenburg)

Oldenburg (Oldenburg) is an independent city in Lower Saxony. Its centre combines pedestrian shopping streets, a former residential palace and walks beside the Hunte. The Schlossgarten, botanical garden and old ramparts provide green space within the city (City of Oldenburg (opens in a new tab)).

For students, Haarentor and Wechloy are useful starting points when choosing where to live: both contain University of Oldenburg campuses (University campus locations (opens in a new tab)). The historic centre offers a different daily setting, with cafés, bars and shops around streets such as Burgstraße, Gaststraße and Wallstraße (Oldenburg Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Neighbourhoods

Universities here

Universities in Oldenburg (Oldenburg), biggest first.

Oldenburg has the University of Oldenburg and IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg. The university’s Haarentor and Wechloy campuses make it possible to organise student life around local neighbourhoods (University locations (opens in a new tab)). IBS offers dual study linking academic learning with work in partner companies (IBS (opens in a new tab)). Bremen is a realistic rail destination: direct station-to-station journeys take approximately 26–30 minutes, but anyone attending a Bremen institution should calculate the onward campus journey separately (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Oldenburg is worth considering if you prefer studying locally with access to a larger neighbouring city.

  • University of Oldenburg

    University · Oldenburg · 123 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

  • IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg

    Other institution · Oldenburg (Oldb) · 2 courses

Find a course in Oldenburg (Oldenburg)

Housing

Start your housing search early. The university’s student union reports students struggling to find rooms or afford their existing rent (AStA housing advice (opens in a new tab)). Studierendenwerk also says demand frequently exceeds its supply, so a residence application should be accompanied by a private-room search (Studierendenwerk residences (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

Student residences

Cost of living

The university’s March 2026 exchange factsheet suggests around €1,000 per month for living costs; treat this as a planning estimate, with your actual accommodation offer determining much of the budget (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)). The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in November 2026 (Transport association information (opens in a new tab)). Before buying it separately, check your student transport entitlement: the university’s factsheet describes a digital ticket for regional public transport across Germany (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)).

Jobs & employers

Local employment includes energy and telecommunications at EWE, photographic products and technology at CEWE, and research and university administration. These give students several routes to investigate, depending on their subject and skills (EWE student careers (opens in a new tab), CEWE Oldenburg (opens in a new tab), University vacancies (opens in a new tab)). Check each vacancy’s location, language requirements and working hours rather than assuming every group-wide opportunity is based in Oldenburg.

Typical student jobs

  • Technical working-student roles in energy or telecommunications; EWE’s portal includes Oldenburg among its working-student locations (EWE jobs (opens in a new tab)).
  • Commercial working-student roles in areas such as controlling, purchasing, HR or sales; filter EWE’s group-wide opportunities by location (EWE student careers (opens in a new tab)).
  • Academic and administrative student-assistant work, including event organisation and preparation of teaching materials at IBS (IBS careers (opens in a new tab)).

Major employers

Getting around

Cycling is a practical option: the university describes its campuses as a bike ride from the centre and within walking distance of each other (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)). The main station’s north-side ZOB connects rail arrivals with city buses (Oldenburg Tourism (opens in a new tab)). Direct regional trains to Bremen Hbf take approximately 26–30 minutes; check the timetable for your travel date (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers local buses and second-class regional trains nationwide; do not assume it covers a long-distance departure (Ticket coverage (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Bremen Airport (BRE)

The nearest major passenger airport. Public transport combines a train to Bremen with tram line 6 to the airport; allow for the interchange and check your departure time (Airport connections (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Oldenburg (4 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.9 °C

70 mm rain a month

1.7 h sun a day

Spring

9.2 °C

50 mm rain a month

5.6 h sun a day

Summer

17.3 °C

78 mm rain a month

6.7 h sun a day

Autumn

10.2 °C

66 mm rain a month

3.3 h sun a day

Expect cool, damp winters and generally moderate summers, with rain in every season. Waterproof clothing is useful for a cycling commute, and winter days offer much less daylight than summer. Summer brings outdoor cultural events, while the colder months coincide with Oldenburg’s kale outings and meals (City events and traditions (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Kohlfahrten—group outings followed by a kale meal—are a distinctive local winter tradition. Oldenburg’s kale season runs from November to March (City events and traditions (opens in a new tab)). For everyday evenings out, explore the bars and cafés around Wallstraße, Waffenplatz and Burgstraße; these offer a useful starting point for getting to know the city’s social life (Oldenburg Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

The university offers English-taught courses and German-language classes, giving international students a route into academic life (University exchange factsheet (opens in a new tab)). For housing enquiries, appointments and job applications, aim to build conversational German; B1 is a useful personal goal, not a universal admission requirement. Check your programme’s requirements separately. Plattdeutsch, or Low German, is part of the region’s linguistic heritage and is promoted through local cultural and educational activities (Oldenburgische Landschaft (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

  • Oldenburger Grünkohl

    The local kale plate traditionally comes with Pinkel, Kochwurst, Kasseler, potatoes and mustard. Vegetarian versions are also available, including at the Ratskeller (Oldenburg Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Oldenburger Pinkel

    A smoked sausage containing grain and meat, closely associated with kale dishes around Oldenburg and Bremen (Pinkel background (opens in a new tab)).

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Autumn leaves in Oldenburg’s palace garden

    Autumn leaves in Oldenburg’s palace garden

  • The Lappan tower in Oldenburg, viewed from the east

    The Lappan tower in Oldenburg, viewed from the east

Student experiences

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Studying in Oldenburg (Oldenburg): FAQ

Is Oldenburg a good place to live as a student?

Oldenburg is worth considering if you want university campuses within cycling reach of the centre (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)). Housing needs early attention: the student union reports a difficult search for many students (AStA (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Oldenburg?

Yes. The University of Oldenburg has campuses at Haarentor and Wechloy within the city (University locations (opens in a new tab)). IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg also offers dual study with partner companies (IBS (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Oldenburg to Bremen?

Direct trains connect Oldenburg (Oldb) Hbf with Bremen Hbf in approximately 26–30 minutes (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). For a university commute, add the journey between Bremen station and your actual campus.

Is Oldenburg expensive for students?

The university’s March 2026 guidance estimates living costs at around €1,000 per month (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)). Affordable residence accommodation exists, but Studierendenwerk warns that demand frequently exceeds supply (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Oldenburg?

Options to investigate include technical or commercial working-student positions at EWE and student-assistant work at IBS (EWE student careers (opens in a new tab), IBS careers (opens in a new tab)). Availability and language requirements depend on the individual vacancy.

Can I study in Oldenburg in English?

The University of Oldenburg offers English-taught courses, including options for exchange students (University factsheet (opens in a new tab)). Check the teaching language and admission requirements of your specific degree; an English course selection does not mean every programme is available entirely in English.

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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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