Orientation and events

Exchange coordination, Summer Course

Christine Trappe

+49-441-798-4124

Advisor for international exchange students (during their stay in Oldenburg)

Christine Trappe

+49-441-798-4124

Office hours

Availability by phone
Mondays: 9 -12 a.m. and 14-15.30 p.m.
Thursdays: 14 p.m.-15.30 p.m.

Online office hours
Tuesdays: 9.30 a.m.–10.30 a.m. in our virtual meeting room (BigBlueButton)

Office hours in presence
Tuesdays: 14.00 p.m.-16.30 p.m. (SSC)
Thursdays: 10.00 a.m.-12.30 p.m. (SSC)

Our team of tutors offers help and support with all general questions and about life in Oldenburg. The tutor team can be reached at

our facebook group International Students in Oldenburg

Orientation and events

Moin and welcome to Oldenburg! This site will introduce you to programs and event formats that will help you find your way around Oldenburg and guide you during your studies. You can also find out more useful information about living and studying in Oldenburg and our university.

Orientation

Below you will find an overview of different offers that you may find helpful for your orientation at the university and in the city of Oldenburg.

Welcome Week by the International Office

Benefit from our Welcome Week for international students to familiarize yourself with the University of Oldenburg, your studies and the city of Oldenburg and to get to know your fellow students. You can choose from a diverse program of information sessions and social events.

Welcome Week

The University's Orientation Week

The University's Orientation Week takes place annually during the winter semester following the Welcome Week and provides orientation and social events to all new students at the University.

Orientation Week

Tutors for International students

Do you have questions about your studies, the city or would you like to meet new students? The tutors of the International Office offer you advice and support and organize regular events during the semester.

Tutors

Buddy programme

Are you interested in getting to know students from all over the world? Or are you an international student new to Oldenburg? Then come to the Buddy Programme!

The Buddy Programme is designed to promote intercultural exchange between international and local students. It is also intended to make it easier for international students to arrive in Oldenburg and begin their studies.

Buddy programme

Cheer-up Meetings

Are you an international student in the first semesters of your (specialist) studies? Studying in Germany offers you many opportunities, but also presents you with challenges. You do not have to be alone in this.

Would you like support in overcoming these or other personal and intercultural challenges as well as exchange with other students? Then OrientationPLUS is the right programme for you!

OrientationPLUS

Student representatives

If you have any questions about your degree programme, students from the student councils can help you and share their personal experiences.

Overview of student representatives

Discover the City of Oldenburg

Oldenburg State Museum of Art and Cultural History

The State Museum of Art and Cultural History presents cultural objects from various eras. In the picture gallery you will find works from old masters to classical modern art. The museum currently offers a virtual exhibition:

Virtual exhibition "Dress fashion changes as social conventions change " (in German)

Horst Janssen Museum

The Horst Janssen Museum is dedicated to the visual arts on paper. It is named after the great North German draughtsman, etcher, woodcutter, poster artist, illustrator, author and graphic artist Horst Janssen. The museum offers an exciting encounter with the work and personality of this unconventional artist. The drawing tables allow you to be creative yourself. Currently, you can get a glimpse of the exhibition online:

Horst Janssen Museum digital (in German)

Edith Russ Haus

With its focus on the art of new media, the Edith Russ Haus is an unusual museum. In a regularly changing exhibition programme, the museum shows innovative and experimental positions of international contemporary art. Presentations, artist talks and workshops promote public discourse on contemporary art and its relationship to the social reality in which it is created. The international scholarship programme for media art of the Foundation of Lower Saxony at the Edith Russ Haus makes it possible to realise three new artistic projects every year. Founded in 2000, the museum owes its existence to an initiative of the late Edith Maria Ruß, a teacher who bequeathed her assets to her home town on the condition that a house "for art in the transition to the new millennium" be created.

Edith Russ Haus

Artothek

Oldenburg's Artothek is an art lending and educational institution founded in 1982. All citizens of the city can borrow works of art at the Arthothek. By purchasing, presenting and lending works of art, the Artothek focuses on promoting regional artists. In addition, it offers many ways of experiencing art. For instance, you can borrow works by famous artists and experience them in the comfort of you home. A wide range of programmes for children, young people and adults allows them to be creative themselves, to talk about art or simply to enjoy art.

Oldenburg's Artothek

Oldenburg Computer Museum

Home computers, arcade machines, game consoles and pinball machines from the 1970s, 80s and 90s can not only be viewed but also tried out in the Oldenburg Computer Museum (OCM). The exhibition is structured chronologically and includes icons from the years 1972 to 1998. The devices are always ready for use and equipped with software; they can – and should – be used, explored and experienced. In a unique hands-on exhibition, you can experience home computer history by playing old arcade game classics on vintage C64, Atari or Amiga machines, or writing your own programmes.

Oldenburg Computer Museum

Oldenburg State Theatre

Housed in a magnificent historical building, the city's theatre is the meeting place for opera, drama, and ballet in Oldenburg. Here, you can see classics such as Faust by Goethe or listen to symphony concerts or recitals.

State theatre

... and other cities in the region

Discover Bremen

Discover Hamburg

Discover Hannover

Learning and practising German

Wooden blocks spelling the word "LEARN".

Would you like to learn German for the first time or improve your German language skills? The University of Oldenburg offers a variety of opportunities for this.

German courses at the Language Centre

The Language Centre offers German courses at different levels during the semester as well as during the lecture-free period.

German courses

Sprachencafé

The Language Café is an informal way to practice Spanish, French, German, English, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch or any other language. Meet new people, practise your language skills and get to know other cultures.

The Language Café is designed like a carousel: each table has a flag representing the language spoken. Choose the language yourself. Changing is always possible! Help others with your mother tongue and in return you get help from the others.

Language Café

Sprachtandem

Would you like to improve your German language skills with a native speaker? Then you will enjoy our Sprachtandem programme! You help a native German speaker with your language, and your German partner practices German with you.

Sprachtandem

Oldenburg Adult Education Centre

The Oldenburg Adult Education Centre offers targeted German courses (levels A1 to C1) to provide optimal preparation for university studies.

Oldenburg Adult Education Centre

Deutsch Uni Online (DUO): online courses

Deutsch-Uni Online offers online German courses at various levels. The courses do involve a fee.

Deutsch-Uni Online (DUO)

Free online courses from Deutsche Welle

Deutsche Welle offers free online German courses ranging from level A1 to C1.

Courses offered by Deutsche Welle(in German)

Free media from the Goethe Institute

The Goethe Institute offers a wide range of materials that actively promote language acquisition.

Media offerings from the Goethe Institute

Events for international students

Visitors of the International Summer Fest 2023 — International Summer Fest Universität Oldenburg / Marcus Windus

The university offers a wide range of events on campus and in the city. Check out the links below for an overview of events organised by the International Office, the university and its units, the city of Oldenburg and much more. We hope you enjoy exploring Oldenburg and participating in the events!

Events organized by the University of Oldenburg

Events for international students Events at the university Lernwerkstatt International Summer Fest

Further events associated with the university and student life

AStA events Unikum programme KHG events ESG events

External events in the city and beyond

City of Oldenburg calendar of events MoX – event in the North Kulturetage… and many more!

01.05.2026 All day

Labor Day: German national holiday

National holidays, closing days

Labor Day: National holiday in Germany, shops and institutions are closed.

06.05.2026 15:00 – 18:00