The British universities (nearly 200) have more or less adopted the LMD system - even if the licence in 3 years is called BA and the Master is often achieved in one year or 18 months. The thesis (PhD) is in 3 years. The BA students are called undergraduates and the others are the postgraduates (this distinction is the more used on the universities’ websites).
The research takes place almost only in the universities. Some have created research institutes which are generally rooted in several faculties, departments or schools - denominations are various. There are also numerous research centers which are often - at least for the Humanities - pluridisciplinar. Some centers, indeed, are only platforms allowing communication between medievalists of different faculties; other develop important programs of collective research.
The cost of the studies in Great Britain was, up to this time, already high and fixed by the universities, which have a great autonomy. Of course, the costs follow the ascendant curve of the universities’ prestige… The universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London also house colleges which “offer” (the prices are in fact high) numerous facilities (teaching, tutoring, housing…).
Nevertheless, there are some possible financements (fundings…) even if the systems of attribution are highly competitive. For the French students, two important institutions must be mentionned, the British Council and the Maison française d’Oxford.
Since 2010, there has been drastic budgetary cuts, associated to a considerable rise of the inscription costs (3290£ before, up to 9000£ now) which changed a lot of things for the british universities, especially for the Humanities departments. These cuts concern all the institutions. The British Library, for instance, has seen an important decrease of its budget.