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Study in Lippe district

Lippe is a district of historic towns and wooded hills, with student life centred on Detmold and Lemgo.

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Aerial view of the princely residential palace in Detmold
Photo: Guitar head (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Lippe is a rural district (Landkreis) in North Rhine-Westphalia with 347,149 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 3 universities: Detmold University of Music (Detmold), OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Lemgo), Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe (Lemgo). Summers average 17.5 °C and winters 2.3 °C, with about 861 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Lippe district in numbers

Population

347,149Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,246.21 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

279Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

3Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Detmold University of Music, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts and Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe

Typical student rent

€361.80/month plus electricitySource (opens in a new tab)

Listed warm rent for an unfurnished room in a two-person shared flat at Gutenbergstraße 1/13, Detmold; internet included, electricity extra. Operator’s undated listing checked November 2026; not a district-wide average.

Average temperature

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

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,488 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Lippe district

Lippe lies in northeastern North Rhine-Westphalia, adjoining Bielefeld and Lower Saxony. Detmold is its administrative centre; the district also preserves the identity of the former state of Lippe. (District background (opens in a new tab))

The landscape combines historic town centres with the wooded hills of the Teutoburg Forest. The Hermannsdenkmal, Externsteine sandstone formations and Renaissance castles are prominent local landmarks. For students, this means opportunities for walking and cultural outings alongside everyday campus life. (Regional tourism board (opens in a new tab))

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Lippe district, biggest first.

Student life centres on Detmold University of Music and TH OWL, whose English name is OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Student housing is available in Detmold and Lemgo. (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab), TH OWL (opens in a new tab), Housing directory (opens in a new tab)) Choose accommodation around your actual teaching location: Lemgo has the RB73 connection to Bielefeld, while Detmold has the RE82. Add the journey between station and campus when comparing addresses. (Eurobahn routes (opens in a new tab)) Lippe is worth considering if you enjoy smaller-town routines, historic surroundings and outdoor breaks.

Find a course in Lippe

Housing

Purpose-built student accommodation exists, but do not assume an immediate place is available. The Mozartstraße residence in Detmold currently lists a three-to-four-semester wait for its furnished apartments. This describes that accommodation category, not the whole private rental market. Search for shared flats alongside residence applications. (Mozartstraße residence (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

For a concrete housing benchmark, furnished apartments at Mozartstraße in Detmold are listed at €309.10–€436.10 monthly, including electricity and internet, checked November 2026. Availability is separate from price. (Residence operator (opens in a new tab)) TH OWL’s winter-semester 2026/27 contribution is €352.80 and includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket. (TH OWL semester dues (opens in a new tab)) These provide useful budget anchors, but there is insufficient comparable evidence here to quantify savings against a large German city.

Jobs & employers

Industrial technology and specialist manufacturing offer concrete starting points for a student job search. Phoenix Contact lists student roles in Blomberg, Weidmüller recruits working students in Detmold, and Brasseler’s portal includes development-engineering work for students. Match applications to your subject and skills; these examples do not guarantee a vacancy when you apply. (Phoenix Contact (opens in a new tab), Weidmüller (opens in a new tab), Brasseler (opens in a new tab))

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

The RB73 connects Lemgo and Lemgo-Lüttfeld with Bielefeld; its published timetable gives roughly 40 minutes between Bielefeld Hbf and Lemgo-Lüttfeld. (RB73 timetable (opens in a new tab)) The RE82 takes about 31 minutes between Detmold and Bielefeld Hbf on typical daytime services. These are scheduled station-to-station times, so check your travel date for changes. (RE82 timetable (opens in a new tab)) Lippemobil provides local transport information; the Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses and regional trains, but generally excludes IC, EC and ICE services. (Lippemobil (opens in a new tab)) Before choosing a village address, check both the morning journey and the last connection home.

Main stations
Nearest airport

Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport (PAD)

A regional airport option for Lippe. From Paderborn Hbf, the airport lists the S60 express bus with a journey of about 20 minutes. Compare the complete journey from your town before booking. (Airport access information (opens in a new tab))

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Schieder (16 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.3 °C

77 mm rain a month

1.4 h sun a day

Spring

9.3 °C

58 mm rain a month

5.3 h sun a day

Summer

17.5 °C

81 mm rain a month

6.5 h sun a day

Autumn

9.8 °C

71 mm rain a month

3 h sun a day

Expect cool, often grey winters, milder spring days and moderately warm summers, with rain possible throughout the year. Waterproof layers are useful for everyday travel and outdoor breaks. Longer summer evenings suit walks around Lemgo’s ramparts and nearby woodland. (Local recreation guide (opens in a new tab)) Late autumn brings Detmold’s Andreasmesse, followed by Kläschen in Lemgo in early December. (Detmold (opens in a new tab), Lemgo (opens in a new tab))

Culture, language & food

Lippe has a distinct regional identity rooted in its former statehood; the Lippe rose also appears in North Rhine-Westphalia’s coat of arms. (Historical background (opens in a new tab)) In Lemgo, the local cultural offer includes handball, concerts and comedy at the PHOENIX CONTACT arena, the Hansa cinema and museums. Its campus guide also points to pubs and places to meet beside the Bega. Expect a social routine built around particular venues and events; check their programmes when deciding whether the town suits you. (Culture guide (opens in a new tab), Going-out guide (opens in a new tab))

Do not plan an English-only daily routine. As practical preparation, aim for conversational German for housing, appointments and work; B1–B2 is a useful personal target, not a universal admission requirement. TH OWL offers German as a foreign language and directs international students to its International Office for course information. Check the language requirements of your own programme separately. (TH OWL language courses (opens in a new tab))

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Lemgo town hall viewed from the northwest

    Lemgo town hall viewed from the northwest

  • The Externsteine protected landscape in Horn-Bad Meinberg

    The Externsteine protected landscape in Horn-Bad Meinberg

Student experiences

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Studying in Lippe district: FAQ

Is Lippe a good place to live as a student?

Consider Lippe if you want smaller-town surroundings and outdoor recreation. Lemgo combines campus life with a historic centre, cinema, museums and arena events; choosing accommodation near your teaching location is the most practical starting point. (Lemgo cultural guide (opens in a new tab))

Are there universities in Lippe?

Yes. Detmold University of Music and TH OWL serve students in the district; student housing is available in Detmold and Lemgo. (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab), TH OWL housing directory (opens in a new tab))

How do I travel from Lippe to Bielefeld?

The RE82 typically takes about 31 minutes from Detmold to Bielefeld Hbf. From Lemgo-Lüttfeld, the RB73 takes roughly 40 minutes; allow extra time for reaching your final destination and check current disruptions. (RE82 timetable (opens in a new tab), RB73 timetable (opens in a new tab))

How much does student housing in Lippe cost?

One published example is €361.80 per month for an unfurnished room in a two-person flat at Gutenbergstraße in Detmold, including internet but excluding electricity, checked November 2026. This is a residence-specific price, not the average rent across Lippe. (Residence operator (opens in a new tab))

What jobs can students find in Lippe?

Verified examples include working-student roles in product management at Phoenix Contact in Blomberg and IT or marketing at Weidmüller in Detmold. Search their main careers portals because individual openings change. (Phoenix Contact (opens in a new tab), Weidmüller (opens in a new tab))

Does TH OWL’s semester contribution include public transport?

Yes. TH OWL’s winter-semester 2026/27 contribution includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket for public local and regional transport throughout Germany. (TH OWL (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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