Living in Osnabrück and Lingen

If you have student status and possess an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), our Housing Service can help you arrange accommodation in our local student halls of residence. These are single rooms in a shared apartment with other students and doctoral students.

Would you prefer to look for your own apartment outside the student halls of residence? On request, we will gladly send you an overview of the most popular online platforms for finding accommodation. We will be happy to advise you, but can only provide limited support in the search for accommodation. Please note that it is sometimes difficult to find accommodation in Osnabrück and Lingen (especially at the beginning of the semester), so you should make sure to book accommodation in a hostel or vacation rental apartment for the first few days or weeks. The guest house of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences or Osnabrück University may also be used. We will be happy to send you an overview of the available options, also for short-term accommodation. 

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences attaches great importance to family friendliness and is committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance. A key element of this endeavor is our Family Service Center, which provides advice and practical information on aspects such as childcare and access to kindergarten. For more information, visit the website of the Family Service of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.

There are several insurance options available, depending on whether you fund your doctorate by working (e.g., as a graduate teaching and/or research assistant) or through a grant:

1. If you have an employment contract with Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (or any other university or higher education institution in Germany), you are automatically covered by statutory health insurance in Germany, irrespective of your length of stay here and your country of origin. Once you have registered with the statutory health insurance company of your choice, you will receive your health insurance card.
2. Nationals of Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) have coverage for short-term stays in Germany. However, the coverage provided by the European Health Insurance Card is usually limited to emergency treatment only. If you intend to stay in Germany for a prolonged period, you should therefore obtain additional coverage. To do this, simply request an S1 form (a European document) from your health insurance provider in your home country. This document establishes your right to full healthcare coverage in Germany.
3. If you plan to stay in Germany for less than 90 days, travel health insurance will be sufficient in many cases.
4. If you come from a country outside the EU and intend to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days, the following options are available to you:

a) You can take out health insurance in your home country and bring your policy with you to Germany. In our experience, however, overseas insurance policies are unlikely to be accepted in Germany.

b) You can take out voluntary statutory insurance in Germany. However, you will normally only have access to statutory health insurance in Germany if you have an employment contract in this country or if you previously had statutory insurance in an EU country.

c) If options a) and b) do not apply in your case, you will need to take out private health insurance in Germany. Substitutive private health insurance for scholars costs around €90 or more per month. Further information is provided by EURAXESS and the DAAD. We generally recommend that you take out insurance online before entering Germany.

Health services can be very expensive in Germany, and if you do not have adequate insurance coverage, you will be responsible for meeting all of the costs.

Please also ensure that you have adequate liability and accident insurance coverage for your stay in Germany. You will not be insured through Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences during your stay in Germany!

Compared to many other cities in Germany, the cost of living in Osnabrück and Lingen is relatively low. In particular, rent levels are comparatively inexpensive here.

According to a study by the Deutsches Studentenwerk (German National Association for Student Affairs), students in Germany spend an average of €867 per month. In many cases, the cost of living is fairly comparable for students and doctoral students, with a few differences for doctoral students. For example, doctoral students at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences do not need to pay the semester fee. As a result, however, they do not have the public transportation ticket that allows free use of buses in the city. Nor do they have student status in the canteen; and in some cases, they have to pay for private health insurance in Germany. In addition, doctoral students sometimes prefer private accommodation to student halls of residence, which is usually more expensive. They are also required to cover one-off expenses incurred at the beginning of the stay. Examples include a residence permit for non-EU citizens (approx. €110), a rent deposit, if required, and purchases for the home. The figure of €867 is therefore only a rough guide and depends on your personal needs and lifestyle – you may be able to get by with less or need more.

In many cases, knowledge of German is not essential for doctoral studies because English is the academic language in many research groups and laboratories But of course it would be a great asset to have some knowledge of German for everyday life. We recommend taking a preparatory German course, if required. Here are a number of potential German language course providers abroad.

Once you have arrived in Osnabrück, you are welcome to join our international intensive language course, which is specifically designed for new international students and doctoral students at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. This course gives you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with life in Osnabrück and Germany, and to get to know a few people, immediately before the start of the semester.

Click below to find out more about our intensive language programs:

International Winter Language School (before the summer semester, starting in February)

International Summer Language School (before the winter semester, starting in August)

You also have the opportunity to improve your German during the semester. German courses of all levels are offered every semester, usually with two 1.5-hour sessions per week. Some of these courses focus on specific terminology, such as business German or technical German, but we also offer general German classes. In our semester-long German courses, we additionally employ German tutors to support participants in their learning process. In small voluntary groups with a maximum of four to five people, learners receive support with homework, pronunciation difficulties, and oral presentations. Apart from helping learners to improve their language skills in case of difficulty, the emphasis here is also on getting to know other (German) students. If you are interested, do not hesitate to contact the Welcome Center, which will put you in touch with a contact person at the Center for International Students.