SAN BERNARDINO - Students waiting to be admitted to Cal State San Bernardino this fall had the door shut on them this month, and it likely won't crack open for at least a year.

Except for teacher-credentialing students, all enrollment at the main campus will be closed through spring. The university also withdrew provisional acceptances from about 150 students.

This likely will lead to more crowding at already cash-strapped community colleges, which are scrambling to find additional funding following the budget crisis.

"Their spillover will probably land at our door,' San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Don Averill said.

The state pays community colleges per student, but only up to a point. After that, campuses are on their own. And this year, they don't have any extra funds, which means classes are likely to be harder to come by.

In addition to the freeze in students, Cal State also is looking to tighten academic probation rules and encourage students to graduate in four or fewer years so students aren't taking up space at the school any longer than needed.

The reason teacher-credentialing students were exempted from the fall deadline was because they have a "terrible pattern of applying very late,' Cal State San Bernardino President Al Karnig said. If enrollment were cut off, he said, the program might not have any students.

The Palm Desert campus was exempted for the same reason.

Some flexibility might be granted to graduate students coming directly from Cal State San Bernardino, and to nursing and international students.

But too many exceptions could cost the school more money. If campuses go over enrollment targets, their budgets could be cut proportionately next year. Karnig said he isn't worried about going over by 50 students, but any more could be a problem.

So far, the school has offered admission to about 7,100 new students. Before this summer, Cal State San Bernardino had planned to have the eqivilant of 14,250 full-time students. Now it plans for 13,859.

The number of students for next year is about 17,000, but the full-time-equivalent figure was adjusted to reflect students who are taking classes part time.

Cal State San Bernardino also has to be careful about spending. After state cuts, new expenses, increased fee revenues and other budget adjustments, the school's deficit is about $3.35 million.

Last year, many departments cut their budgets and set aside the money for this year. The school will use half that money and central reserves to cover the deficit.

The budget problem, however, likely will not disappear in the near future.

"Next year might be a rockier road than this year,' Karnig said.

The recently signed state budget calls for no enrollment growth in the Cal State system or the University of California system in 2004-05.