TWO siblings from India who got top marks in their A-Levels have missed out on university because they arrived in the country two weeks too late.

Priganka Peixoto and her brother Neil are super gifted students.

The pair, from Goa each obtained four grade As in physics, chemistry, maths and geography at St Joseph's Catholic College sixth form.

They received the good news at the school, on Ocotal Way, on Thursday morning but all is not as it seems.

They should both be looking forward to beginning their engineering courses after receiving offers from Oxford, Bristol, Bath and Reading universities but cannot start due to residency issues.

Priganka, 20 and Neil, 19, both hoped to start university next September after taking a gap year.

They arrived in this country two years ago on September 15, but to qualify for their student loans they need to have lived in here for at least three years from September 1, meaning they have missed out by just two weeks.

"It is very frustrating as I'm so eager to go to university," said Priganka of Groundwell Road.

"We didn't realise we wouldn't qualify for our grants and it is very annoying for us both.

"We must have these loans otherwise we cannot afford to go.

"Going through this long process makes me think that I might not want to even go to university at all."

Neither sibling has a British passport either which means they are not entitled the maintenance grant of £2,500 that can be used for living expenses.

Priganka now plans to apply for an apprenticeship, possibly with an engineering firm next year.

She would have had a gap year anyway but as it currently stands she would not be able to start her university career until September 2009 due to missing the residency cut off point.

She had to decline the university offers in May, with her brother doing the same.

Neil who is working at DHL in South Marston as a packer, said: "I was over the moon after I got my results.

"I'm a bit disappointed not to go to university next year after my gap year but I can't do anything about it.

"It's just one of those things.

"I will now try to save enough money from my working at my new job to be able to go into further education."

Headteacher at St Joseph's Peter Wells said: "You can imagine my frustration when you have two A-grade students who cannot get into university.

"It really is a crying shame. They are both capable of very high standards.

"You would think they would want to encourage engineers to go to university but I realise there must be a cut off point."