Missed one semester of University of Edinburgh

Hi, I got accepted to study CS starting August 2023. I planned to get a UK student visa after I get a Chinese visa. The PRC embassy apparently refused to return my passport (or so I was told by VFS) until now so I could not apply for a UK student visa. As a result, I have missed this semester for reasons completely beyond my control.

How can I proceed now?
Should I try to get a UK student visa now?
Should I contact the uni and will they help me?

Thanks

If you haven't been in contact with the University throughout, then you won't have been registered with them and you will have lost your place. You need to speak to the University and see if they will defer your place until next year. Zero chance of picking it up this year, even if they did register you (and I can't see how they could have, if you haven't kept closely engaged with them over this situation).

Thank you very much. I just mailed them.

Is there a realistic chance that they will allow me to start from 2024?