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Study in Ostholstein district

Ostholstein is a Baltic coastal district of seaside towns, lakes and countryside, with student commutes to Lübeck and Kiel.

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Eutin Palace viewed from the south
Photo: Siegbert Brey (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Ostholstein is a rural district (Landkreis) in Schleswig-Holstein with 201,472 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Ostholstein district itself; the nearest is Musikhochschule Lübeck in Lübeck, about 32 km away. Summers average 17.1 °C and winters 2.4 °C, with about 674 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Ostholstein district in numbers

Population

201,472Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,393.02 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

145Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Nearest university

Musikhochschule Lübeck, LübeckWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 32 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€11.00/m² net cold rentSource (opens in a new tab)

Median for all apartments in IB.SH’s 2024 rental-market monitoring for Ostholstein, published in its 2025 housing profile. Excludes subsidised housing and utility costs; this is not a WG-room price or an official Mietspiegel.

Average temperature

9.5 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,743 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Ostholstein district

Ostholstein combines Baltic beaches, the island of Fehmarn and part of the lake landscape of Holsteinische Schweiz. Eutin is the district’s administrative centre. Tourism is a major part of local life and the economy (Kreis Ostholstein (opens in a new tab)).

The towns offer different settings: Eutin has a lakeside palace, Malente sits among woods and lakes, and Neustadt in Holstein has a working harbour and sailing culture. Your choice of town matters more than the district label when planning everyday journeys (Eutin palace (opens in a new tab), Malente municipality (opens in a new tab), Neustadt tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

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

There is no university in Ostholstein. Nearby options include Musikhochschule Lübeck, Universität zu Lübeck, Technische Hochschule Lübeck and the university of applied sciences in Kiel. For commuting, start by comparing homes near Bad Schwartau, Eutin or Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen stations, which lie on the Lübeck–Kiel railway; check the onward journey to your actual campus (NAH.SH timetable (opens in a new tab)). Employer-based study is another route: Schwartauer Werke offers dual study programmes and apprenticeships (Schwartauer Werke (opens in a new tab)). This is a setting to consider if access to the coast and countryside matters more to you than living beside campus.

  • Musikhochschule Lübeck

    Lübeck · 32 km away · 10 courses

  • Universität zu Lübeck

    Lübeck · 35 km away · 34 courses

  • Technische Hochschule Lübeck

    Lübeck · 35 km away · 44 courses

  • Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Kiel

    Kiel · 43 km away · 44 courses

  • Kiel University of Applied Sciences

    Kiel · 44 km away · 4 courses

Find a course nearby

Housing

Do not assume that a home outside the university cities will be inexpensive. IB.SH’s rental monitoring puts Neustadt in Holstein above the district-wide median, showing that location makes a substantial difference. These figures describe apartment rents, not student-room availability (IB.SH housing report (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

  • Search WG-Gesucht, ImmobilienScout24 and Kleinanzeigen by individual town, then widen the radius. These portals are recommended by Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein for private housing searches (Studentenwerk (opens in a new tab)).
  • Check Lübecker Nachrichten property advertisements alongside online listings; the Studentenwerk includes the newspaper in its local housing-search guidance (Studentenwerk (opens in a new tab)).
  • Before signing, test the address-to-campus journey and the last evening connection in the NAH.SH planner, including any replacement buses (NAH.SH (opens in a new tab)).
  • Compare commuting with applying for student accommodation in Lübeck itself. The Studentenwerk’s Lübeck residences are outside Ostholstein and should be treated as an alternative location (Studentenwerk residences (opens in a new tab)).

Cost of living

Housing and transport are the main costs to compare before choosing a town. Neustadt’s monitored median apartment rent was €12.64/m² net cold in 2024, excluding utilities (IB.SH (opens in a new tab)). The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in 2026, with €66.80 announced from January 2027; check whether your university already provides a semester-ticket arrangement before buying separately (Federal Government (opens in a new tab)). Compare the complete warm rent and commuting costs rather than assuming Ostholstein will be cheaper than a university city.

Jobs & employers

Tourism is a major local industry, making seasonal visitor-service work a practical search direction (district profile (opens in a new tab)). Food manufacturing offers another route: Schwartauer Werke regularly recruits seasonal workers (seasonal recruitment (opens in a new tab)). For technical or commercial experience, ZVO advertises apprenticeships and internships at its local sites (ZVO careers (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

RE83 and RB84 connect Bad Schwartau, Eutin and Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen with Lübeck and Kiel. Under the published regular timetable, Eutin–Lübeck Hbf takes roughly 22–32 minutes and Eutin–Kiel Hbf roughly 45–60 minutes, before campus transfers (NAH.SH (opens in a new tab)). Important for November 2026 arrivals: cancellations and replacement buses affect the Lübeck–Plön/Preetz corridor from 2 November to 7 December (erixx notice (opens in a new tab)). RB85 links Neustadt and the southern coastal resorts to Lübeck; Neustadt–Lübeck is normally about 33 minutes (coastal timetable (opens in a new tab)). For Fehmarn, the X85 express bus replaces trains during construction and accepts the Deutschlandticket (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The ticket also covers ordinary local buses and regional trains; check each proposed home’s connecting bus service (ticket coverage (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Lübeck Airport

A nearby passenger-airport option via Lübeck: the airport has a railway stop and bus connections to Lübeck Hbf/ZOB. Hamburg Airport is another option, reached via Hamburg Hbf and the S1; compare available flights and the complete journey (Lübeck tourism transport guide (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Pelzerhaken (10 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.4 °C

57 mm rain a month

1.6 h sun a day

Spring

8.1 °C

42 mm rain a month

6.2 h sun a day

Summer

17.1 °C

68 mm rain a month

7.6 h sun a day

Autumn

10.2 °C

58 mm rain a month

3.6 h sun a day

Expect cool winters with limited sunshine, mild summers and rain in every season. Waterproof layers are useful for walks and station journeys. Spring and summer suit cycling and time by the water; Fehmarn’s tourism guide highlights spring rapeseed fields, summer watersports and windy winter beach walks (Fehmarn tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Fishing and sailing remain visible parts of coastal identity, especially around Neustadt’s harbour and Fischeramtsfest. JazzBaltica brings an international music programme to Timmendorfer Strand (Neustadt tourism (opens in a new tab), Fischeramtsfest (opens in a new tab), JazzBaltica (opens in a new tab)). For student social life, plan around particular events and your university connections rather than expecting a campus neighbourhood on your doorstep.

English-language visitor services exist—for example, Eutin Palace offers English guided tours on request—but this does not guarantee English support with housing or employment (palace guide (opens in a new tab)). As a practical learning goal, aim for conversational German around B1 and work towards B2 for customer-facing jobs; this is advice, not a universal hiring or admission requirement. Low German, or Plattdeutsch, belongs to the region’s cultural heritage and is recognised as a regional language in Schleswig-Holstein (state government (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

  • Eutin Palace and gardens

    Castle

    A former ducal residence with museum interiors and an English-style landscape garden beside the Großer Eutiner See (palace guide (opens in a new tab)).

  • Dieksee promenade, Malente

    Lake

    A lakeside walking spot at Malente, with access to a longer circuit around the Dieksee (Malente tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Neustadt harbour and Kremper Tor

    Old town

    Combine a harbour walk with the zeiTTor museum inside the surviving medieval town gate (Neustadt tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Flügge lighthouse, Fehmarn

    Coast

    A lighthouse in western Fehmarn that the island’s tourism service lists as accessible to visitors; check seasonal opening before travelling (Fehmarn tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Events

  • Neustadt in Holstein harbour looking towards the Bay of Lübeck

    Neustadt in Holstein harbour looking towards the Bay of Lübeck

  • Flügge lighthouse on Fehmarn

    Flügge lighthouse on Fehmarn

Student experiences

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Studying in Ostholstein district: FAQ

Is there a university in Ostholstein?

There is no university in Ostholstein. Nearby study options are in Lübeck and Kiel, including Universität zu Lübeck, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Musikhochschule Lübeck and Kiel’s university of applied sciences.

Is Ostholstein a good place to live as a student?

Consider it if you value the coast or countryside and can make the campus journey work. Eutin and Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen are on the Lübeck–Kiel railway, making them sensible starting points for comparing commutes (NAH.SH (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Eutin to Lübeck?

RE83 and RB84 normally take about 22–32 minutes to Lübeck Hbf (regular timetable (opens in a new tab)). Replacement buses affect this corridor from 2 November to 7 December 2026, so check your exact travel date (erixx (opens in a new tab)).

Is Ostholstein expensive for students?

Do not assume it is a cheap alternative to city living. IB.SH reported a district-wide median apartment rent of €11.00/m² net cold for 2024; utilities and other living costs are additional, and this is not a student-room average (IB.SH (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Ostholstein?

Search for catering, guest-service, attraction and retail work at HANSA-PARK, whose application form allows part-time and weekend availability (HANSA-PARK (opens in a new tab)). Schwartauer Werke also recruits seasonal workers (Schwartauer Werke (opens in a new tab)).

Can I travel to Fehmarn with the Deutschlandticket?

Yes. Deutsche Bahn confirms that the X85 replacement express bus between Lübeck and Fehmarn accepts the Deutschlandticket while railway construction continues (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)).

More guides

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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