Lawrence ? Kansas University is giving students affected by recent natural disasters some extra time to pay their tuition.

Tuition bills for fall semester will be sent next week, with the first payments due Aug. 15.

The university said Tuesday that it will waive late fees and will work out individual deferred payment plans for students living in 10 counties hit by flooding and storms this spring and summer. Usually an initial $100 penalty is assessed after the deadline and additional penalties are applied each month the bill is overdue.

“When your family home or business has been flooded out, you have more immediate concerns than a tuition due date. We hope this will give those students under hardship some time and flexibility to focus on recovery and getting their lives back to normal,” Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere said.

Students may fill out a form on the university’s Web site, www.ku.edu, to qualify.

The policy applies to students from Elk, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Edwards, Kiowa, Osage, Pratt and Stafford counties.