I struggled in uni years ago, now I want to do a masters.

Hey, so I finished my university course in 2021, I had very bad mental health due to the pandemic, and came out with a 2:2 when I was on track for a First or 2:1.
I have improved my mental health considerably, but have not been in academia for 4 years. I now want to pursue a master's in an unrelated subject, but this subject requires a minimum of a 2:1. Is there a way I can get around this by explaining my situation? or is it a lost cause?
Please help.

Hi there,
I’d definitely encourage you to contact the Admissions team for the uni you’re interested in directly. While most courses do have minimum entry requirements, universities can sometimes take extenuating circumstances into account, especially if you explain your situation clearly. Some departments may also offer flexibility through interviews, additional assessments, or relevant experience.
So it’s definitely not a lost cause — it’s always worth asking! Show your interest and motivation, and see what options might be available.
Hope that helps and best of luck with your next steps 🙂
Megan (LJMU Postgraduate Rep)

Hiya. Do you have referees who would knew about and would be willing to explain (away) your mental health difficulties from that time, and attest to the fact that you were otherwise on track for a higher grade? I was able to get into Masters and PhD courses that required a 2.1 by having strong references which did this, and by self-funding rather than relying on a research council to give me money (which would have been rather tricky. For me, these were the days before postgrad student loans, but postgrad student loans would count as self-funding in this case!)