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Study in Landkreis Rostock district

Landkreis Rostock combines Baltic beaches and rural towns.

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Kühlungsborn pier and the sailing ship Engelina on the Baltic Sea
Photo: Dietmar Rabich (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Landkreis Rostock is a rural district (Landkreis) in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 218,721 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Polizei und Rechtspflege des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Güstrow). Summers average 17.2 °C and winters 1.5 °C, with about 595 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Landkreis Rostock district in numbers

Population

218,721Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

3,431.06 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

64Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

1Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Polizei und Rechtspflege des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Average temperature

9.1 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,714 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Landkreis Rostock district

Landkreis Rostock surrounds the separate city of Rostock, combining Baltic seaside resorts with inland countryside. Güstrow is the district capital; Rostock itself is outside the district (district economic development agency (opens in a new tab), district background (opens in a new tab)).

The coast includes Kühlungsborn, Heiligendamm and Graal-Müritz. Inland, the landscape shifts to lakes, the Warnow and Recknitz valleys, and the hills around Teterow. Historic town centres, manor houses and former monasteries give the district plenty to explore beyond the beach (Landkreis Rostock (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Landkreis Rostock district, biggest first.

Güstrow has the state's specialist Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Polizei und Rechtspflege. Its public-administration degree follows a dual-study recruitment route; the state currently lists German or another EU citizenship among that programme's eligibility conditions (state careers portal (opens in a new tab)). The University of Rostock and Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock are in nearby Rostock city. Güstrow can suit students who prefer a smaller town: the S2 takes about 30 minutes to Rostock Hauptbahnhof, before the onward journey to campus (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). Choose accommodation around your actual teaching location and evening return connections.

  • Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Polizei und Rechtspflege des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

    Other institution · Güstrow · 6 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)
Find a course in Landkreis Rostock

Housing

Start with town-specific housing searches. In Güstrow, AWG offers furnished one-room flats near the Fachhochschule for students, trainees and other young people (AWG Güstrow (opens in a new tab)). The college also has campus accommodation for eligible participants (state careers portal (opens in a new tab)). These options do not establish that the wider district's housing market is relaxed, and no reliable current district-wide student-rent benchmark was verified.

How to find a place

Student residences

Cost of living

Useful transport benchmarks are €63 per month for a standard Deutschlandticket subscription, as listed in November 2026, and €2.30 for a single journey within the Güstrow or Bützow town networks under the tariff effective from December 2025 (VVW Deutschlandticket (opens in a new tab), VVW fares (opens in a new tab)). Check whether your university already provides a semester ticket before buying a separate subscription. Furnished accommodation can reduce initial furniture spending (AWG Güstrow (opens in a new tab)). A reliable rent comparison with major German cities was not verified, so compare the full housing and commuting cost rather than assuming a rural address is cheaper.

Jobs & employers

Tourism is an important district employer, while healthcare and chemical production provide other career routes (district economic development agency (opens in a new tab), KMG Güstrow (opens in a new tab), Poppendorf municipality (opens in a new tab)). Karls' recruitment pages provide concrete examples of seasonal and part-time work in Rövershagen. Hospital and industrial roles should be checked individually for qualifications, working hours and compatibility with study (Karls recruitment (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

The Verkehrsverbund Warnow covers Rostock city and the surrounding district (VVW (opens in a new tab)). From Güstrow, allow approximately 30 minutes to Rostock Hauptbahnhof on the S2 via Schwaan or 43 minutes on the S3 via Laage, based on DB's published regular timetable; check engineering changes before travelling (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). Bad Doberan lies on the regional railway between Wismar and Rostock and connects with the Molli railway (station background (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local and regional transport; the Molli requires an additional payment, and long-distance services have separate rules and limited exceptions (VVW ticket conditions (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Rostock–Laage Airport

The local airport is reached via the A19 Laage exit. Its current access guidance points public-transport passengers to the pre-booked rubi demand-responsive service; confirm the connection for your flight (airport access (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

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

Winter

1.5 °C

44 mm rain a month

1.7 h sun a day

Spring

8.2 °C

40 mm rain a month

6.1 h sun a day

Summer

17.2 °C

66 mm rain a month

7.4 h sun a day

Autumn

9.5 °C

48 mm rain a month

3.5 h sun a day

Expect cool winters with limited sunshine, a brighter spring and generally mild summers rather than prolonged heat. Bring waterproof layers and plan winter journeys around daylight. Spring brings the rhododendron flowering season in Graal-Müritz, while summer is a good time to plan beach days and coastal events (Graal-Müritz tourism (opens in a new tab), Kühlungsborn tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local cultural life includes Ernst Barlach's sculpture in Güstrow, brick Gothic architecture in Bad Doberan and seasonal events in the coastal resorts (Barlach museums (opens in a new tab), Doberaner Münster (opens in a new tab), Kühlungsborn harbour festival (opens in a new tab)). Think of the district as a base for museums, outdoor time and planned evenings out; check individual venues and return transport before choosing it for nightlife.

Plattdeutsch, or Low German, is part of Mecklenburg's regional cultural heritage and is actively supported in the state (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern government (opens in a new tab)).

Some cultural attractions accommodate English: the Barlach museums offer English tours on request, and Doberaner Münster also organises English-language guided visits (Barlach museums (opens in a new tab), Doberaner Münster (opens in a new tab)). Do not assume that this extends to every landlord, employer or administrative appointment. As a practical preparation target, aim for B1–B2 German for independent daily life; this is not a stated admission requirement. Plattdeutsch belongs to the regional heritage, but prioritise standard German in your studies (state government (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • The Renaissance palace in Güstrow

    The Renaissance palace in Güstrow

  • The brick Gothic exterior of Doberaner Münster

    The brick Gothic exterior of Doberaner Münster

Student experiences

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Studying in Landkreis Rostock district: FAQ

Is Landkreis Rostock a good place to live as a student?

It can suit students who want a smaller-town base and are comfortable commuting. Güstrow has a direct S2 journey of about 30 minutes to Rostock Hauptbahnhof; add the journey from your home to the station and from the station to campus (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Landkreis Rostock?

Yes: Güstrow has the Fachhochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung, Polizei und Rechtspflege. Its public-administration degree uses a dual-study recruitment route with specific eligibility conditions, so international applicants should check the programme before applying (state careers portal (opens in a new tab)).

Is Rostock city part of Landkreis Rostock?

No. Rostock is a separate city surrounded by the district; the district capital is Güstrow (district background (opens in a new tab)).

Is Landkreis Rostock inexpensive for students?

A reliable current student-rent benchmark for the district was not verified. Güstrow does have furnished housing aimed at students and trainees, but compare the full rent and commuting cost before deciding (AWG Güstrow (opens in a new tab)).

What part-time jobs can students find in Landkreis Rostock?

Verified examples include retail, food-service and seasonal visitor-attraction work at Karls in Rövershagen. Availability and working hours vary, so check the employer's current recruitment portal (Karls (opens in a new tab)).

Can I use the Deutschlandticket around Landkreis Rostock?

Yes, on ordinary regional trains, S-Bahn and local buses. The Molli railway requires an additional payment, while long-distance trains follow separate rules with limited exceptions (VVW (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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