Southeast Missouri State University plans to start asking some students needing housing to return in the spring because its residence halls are full.

The university is expecting a large freshman class and currently has 240 more housing contracts than it had this time last year.

The school announced Monday that beginning Aug. 9, admission will be deferred until spring 2011 for applicants who live more than 50 miles from Cape Girardeau and need housing.

Southeast Missouri State University requires beginning freshmen to live on campus. The requirement also applies to new transfer students with fewer than 57 completed credit hours who are under 21, unmarried, not supporting dependent children, not a veteran and not living with a parent.