Millions of dollars in state financial aid payments for college students could be delayed if the Legislature doesn't adopt a budget soon.

For the second straight year, state lawmakers' inability to pass a timely budget could delay payments into the Cal Grant program, the state's largest financial aid program that serves 220,000 students.

And while the state's largest public universities -- California State University and University of California -- already have contingency plans in place so students' tuition costs will be covered, students may have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for books, housing and other ancillary costs.

"With student fees going up, students are already worried about their finances," said UC spokesman Hanan Eisenman. "If they have to also worry about their Cal Grant coming through, that only adds to the anxiety."

The state controller is supposed to make a $220 million payment Aug. 1 to universities and colleges as part of the Cal Grant program. But the state won't make those payments if the impasse continues beyond that date. The payments will be forwarded once a budget is passed.

Cal Grants help pay tuition and, in some cases, housing and other expenses.

Eisenman said UC will cover tuition portions of the payment, but officials aren't sure yet if they'll be able to cover living expenses for off-campus students.

He said 30,461 UC students receive Cal Grant fee coverage and 18,087 students receive a Cal Grant stipend of $1,550 for living expenses. About 12,500 of those students live off campus, he said.

Financially needy community college students will likely be especially affected by the delayed payments, which many students use to buy books and pay other costs. Community colleges already waive tuition for the neediest students.

"If there's a delay in students receiving their check, the districts may or may not be in a position to help those students out" with additional costs, said Robert Turnage, vice chancellor of finance with California Community Colleges.

California State University spokeswoman Clara Potes-Fellow said financial aid payments for 140,000 CSU students could be affected by the budget delay. That figure includes students who receive Cal Grants, as well as those who qualify for CSU's state university grants.

Potes-Fellow said campuses will dig deeper into their internal finances to make sure tuition payments are covered so students can enroll for the fall semester, which begins at the end of August or the beginning of September for most campuses.

But she cautioned that campuses can only afford to front those payments for about two months.

Officials at Cal State Hayward hope the budget will be signed before classes begin Sept. 25. If not, campus officials probably won't charge financially needy students tuition until the payments come through, said Rhonda Johnson, associate director of financial aid.

"We won't hold (needy) students accountable for paying fees until after a state budget is signed," Johnson said.

About 800 Cal State Hayward students receive Cal Grants, she said, and 3,000 students receive state university grants.

Stanford University also won't hold its students responsible if their grant money doesn't come through, said Director of Financial Aid Earl Dowling.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.