Reapplying to uni at 21 - any advice?

I’m considering reapplying to university in the next academic year, because I want to leave the area im in and change courses.

This is my current situation

I’m not sure how to go about it, and I want to try and get into a better university and do a course that I’ll actually enjoy. My current A levels are AAD, which is okay, but I want to try and get into some Russell group (ideal is Edinburgh) or a decent international uni, and as someone who’s older I feel like I’d need to have better level 3 qualifications to be able to compete.

I’ve seen that a lot of mature students do access courses and foundation years - I’m wondering whether universities will value retaking/sitting a new a level more or less than taking an access course? I want to go into cognitive sciences/human sciences so I feel like I’d need to do A levels. I was considering retaking my physics (where I got a D) and taking up a further maths. A level from scratch, maybe do an EPQ as well within one academic year? I’m currently studying engineering so I feel like this will be something I can do.

I’m concerned that my lack of academic engagement and my lack of work experience since leaving school at 18 might make my application weak. I’ve basically failed the uni I’ve been at this year because of poor mental and physical health and just generally difficult circumstances. All of my exams for uni have been deferred to this august and they’re all capped, and there are board meetings about whether I should even be allowed to do them in august. So my status from uni this year will be withdrawn with no achieved results, or a fail, or an interruption with no results. Or just something that isn’t great lmao. I’ve had long periods where I haven’t been able to go to class and long periods where I haven’t been able to work so I will have minimal work experience to really mention in my application. I know mental health is considered, but I’m worried that Russell groups will think that I’m unable to achieve within a formal education setting since I’ve failed to do so over the last year. I’m just worried that my circumstances will seem like an excuse.

I don’t know what I would do about references - would using my previous sixth form college as a centre and referee make any sense despite them not teaching me for two years? I don’t know what I’d do regarding predicted grades either. I didn’t realise that A levels couldn't be sat in November anymore which makes things so annoying.

Any advice and insight would be deeply appreciated :smile: