The term Universität (plural: Universitäten) is reserved for institutions with the right to confer doctorates.
In contrast, Hochschule encompasses Universitäten as well as institutions that are not authorized to confer doctorates.
[1] Roughly equivalent terms to Hochschule are used in some other European countries, such as högskola in Sweden and Finland, hogeschool in the Netherlands and Flanders, and főiskola (literally "main school") in Hungary, as well as in post-Soviet countries (deriving from высшее учебное заведение) in Central Europe, in Bulgaria (висше училище) and Romania.
[2] The term Hochschule can be used to refer to all institutions of higher education in Germany that confer academic degrees, that is both regular universities (Universitäten) and Fachhochschulen.
Additionally, there are specialized Hochschulen which focus on a particular set of disciplines, e.g., Kunsthochschulen (art schools), and share the same legal status as regular universities.