State university students who were affected by natural disasters during the past few months can defer tuition and fee payments, which are normally due next month.

The Kansas Board of Regents’ plan hopes to help students from Greensburg, which was ravaged by a May tornado, and Coffeyville, which was flooded in late June. There are 43 counties that qualify for assistance. Among them are Franklin, Osage and Miami counties.

About 21,000 students from those counties attended the six regent universities last year.

The universities will waive late payment penalties and develop individual deferred payment plans for those students. To qualify for the extension, students need to call the financial office at their university.