Help with a serious complicated issue about applying for uni.

Not enough information. Anyone would need more information. the correct person is their former solicitor or get your case transferred to a new immigration lawyer.
You dont say upon what nasis this person is in the UK and what the reasons for rejection are. If they ,lose the appeal then they may lose their right to be in the UK at all, unless they can get a new visa.

If they dont wnat another gap year then they need to chase the solicitor or find out from the border agency how long its going to take for the appeal. Presumably the solicitor is handling that? I'd be interested to see on what basis the solicitor told your friend they could still be a student. Are they a refugee?

Hi, my friend's in a very serious complicated situation. Ill try to explain very shortly. Basically, they have applied for Indefinite leave to remain visa but got rejected and were given the right to appeal and have appealed. They have an unconditional offer from the university, however, cannot finalise the process as they cannot be a UK student since they don't have residency or citizenship, however, the uni have said that they cannot continue with the visa for international student without their papers which are still currently at the Home Office and because they're currently in the appeal. When they appealed, their solicitor said that they would still be able to go to uni, however, this was last year. They have tried to get in contact with their solicitor recently to see what they have to say about it now that it's nearer the time, although the solicitor has not replied. If there's anyone who can help with the situation (hopefully you can sort of understand what's happened), that would be great. And they have already taken a gap year because of this, they do not want another gap year.
Thanks