University and City

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International Student Office (ISO)

The Carl von Ossitzky University of Oldenburg
Cutting Edge and Training

The Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg was founded in 1973. It is thus one of the youngest academic colleges in Germany.

The University seeks to embody open-mindedness while constantly striving to provide academic challenges. Oldenburg University is known for its wide range of research and education activities focused on cutting edge science and training. Teaching is characterised by its interdisciplinary approach and by the intensive support offered to students. A large variety of Bachelor and Master programmes are offered in the fields of social and cultural sciences, education and linguistics, economics and natural sciences, mathematics and informatics. The constant implementation of new and trend-setting programmes and co-operations are at the core of Oldenburg University‘s attractiveness.
Environmental and energy research, for example, are outstanding interdisciplinary areas of future specialisation for study and research. About 900 international students from more than 90 countries and from all continents choose to study in Oldenburg.

The University itself is part of a tight network of international co-operations; today it has collaborations with more than 120 universities around the globe. The University’s name derives from the journalist Carl von Ossietzky (1889-1938), one of Weimar Republic’s most prolific publicists. Soon after the Nazis’ take-over in 1933, Ossietzky was arrested for his engagement for peace and democracy in Europe. He was imprisoned in various concentration camps, including Esterwegen near Oldenburg. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1935, and a subsequent international campaign led to his release in 1936. Two years later Ossietzky died in Berlin. Named after Ossietzky, the University’s title elicits reflection on a passionate democrat and pacifist and at the same time emphasises science’s profound societal responsibilities.

"Wissenschaft und Technik waren nicht in erster Linie da zu helfen. Sie schufen Werkzeuge der Vernichtung. Werkzeuge gräßlichsten Mordes.“ >> Wir müssen die Wissenschaft wieder menschlich machen << (Carl von Ossietzky 1889-1938, Friedensnobelpreiträger und Häftling im KZ Esterwegen)


Two Sites - Five Faculties

Campus Haarentor		About 11.000 students are enrolled at Oldenburg University; the atmosphere is friendly and the size manageable. At Oldenburg University it is easy to get to know other students and the campus can readily be navigated. The University has two main sites: at Campus Wechloy you will find the natural sciences (Faculty V), a small cafeteria and outdoor sports facilities. All other faculties, a canteen, the library, the International Student Office (ISO), the examination office, the sports hall and a swimming pool are located at main Campus Haarentor. Wechloy and Haarentor are located approximately one kilometre apart and are connected by buses and a cycling path.


Carl von Ossietzky University is divided into five faculties:

Faculty I	– Educational Science	Campus Wechloy
Faculty II	– Informatics, Economics, and Law
Faculty III	– Linguistics and Cultural Studies
Faculty IV	– Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty V	– Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Living and Studying at the University

University is about more than just attending class and studying. It is about trying new things, making new friends, and challenging yourself in new ways. There are countless opportunities to get involved in campus life. You can have your meal at the canteen, read international newspapers at the library, or meet other students over a coffee. You can climb the wall, lift weights or swim at the university’s sports facilities, attend plays or cabaret at Oldenburg University’s stage „Unikum“ and see movies at the student cinema „Gegenlicht“. You can even sing in the university’s choir or play your instrument in the student orchestra. Or you can just as easily join any of the numerous groups active in cultural and social matters.

On the main campus, you will find the extensive University Library. It houses more than a million books, about 6000 periodicals, and provides access to numerous databases. Almost everything is open to the public and can be read or borrowed. In addition to reading material, there are many group workplaces and carrels, copy machines, workstations with internet access and a large number of international daily newspapers. Throughout the Library and in most parts of the campus you can find wireless internet connections.

The campus food offerings are both tasty and inexpensive. During your breaks, you can have a full meal at the canteen or just a snack at the cafeteria. Most of the food is made from organic products and can accomodate vegetarians.


Wohnheim Atterlerieweg Uni Hallenbad Gebäude A5 (ISO)		The Studentenwerk runs six student dormitories and a number of houses located both downtown and close to the campus. Studentwerk accommodations are reasonably priced: a furnished room is about 120 to 150€ per month. Online room applications are available. The university‘s sports facilities are available to all students. You will find a swimming pool and a sauna, a work out area, different gyms, tennis courts, beach volleyball fields and many other things. Most courses and activities are free of charge. Coming to Oldenburg as an international student, you will be looked after from the very start. The staff at the International Student Office can assist you with just about anything. The semester starts up with a week of orientation for all new students. This will help familiarise you with your faculty and programme, as well as with other students. During the semester you can attend tutorials organised for international students. Even the student union (AStA) has a special bureau for international students, called ´Hochschulgruppe ausländischer Studierender´ (HGAS).


The City of Oldenburg - a perfect place to live

Oldenburg is located in north-west Germany in the federal state of Lower Saxony. It is within reach of the international airports of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen. Fast InterCity trains connect Oldenburg with other cities.

With its 150.000 residents, Oldenburg is a manageable size. The city features everything you might need as a student: plenty of social and cultural life. Oldenburg is known as a city of cycling. There are about 270 kilometres of municipal cycling paths, thus everything is within close reach: the pedestrian area in the town centre, municipal offices and public institutions, cultural ve-nues like the theatre, and the castle, museums and cinemas, pubs, coffee houses and clubs, and Oldenburg University itself. If you don’t like cycling you may take the bus, which is free of charge for students.		Oldenburgs "Amüsiermeile Wallstrasse"

Nordseeküste Kulturzentrum PFL		The City of Oldenburg includes a variety of green spaces, parks and woods. It has a rural neighbourhood with small villages, lakes and moors. The climate is determined by the nearby North-Sea: it is rather mild and not too hot in summer while not too cold in win-ter. There are plenty of destinations you can go to: the North-Sea is about 60 kilometres, the City of Bremen about 50 kilometres, and the City of Hamburg about 160 kilometres. you can travel for free on the so-called Semesterticket, a rover ticket for buses and trains. This is included with university enrolment. Even the Netherlands are nearby. Trips to Groningen (100km) and Amsterdam (300km) are inexpensive. All together, Oldenburg is a pleasant place to live, perfect for your studies: cosy but not dozy, manageable but not at all boring.