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LONG BEACH, Calif. — Out-of-state students may have to pay hundreds of dollars more for tuition this fall at California State University under a proposal by the 23-campus system. 

CSU trustees were set Wednesday to vote on the proposal, which would increase fees up to 15 percent for out-of-state students. 

It was expected to easily pass, making it the first increase in CSU fees in 10 years. The fee hike would still require approval by the Legislature. 

“We believe it’s necessary,” said CSU spokeswoman Colleen Bentley-Adler. 

The CSU estimates the fee increase would generate an additional $11.8 million, money needed because of the state’s current budget crisis, officials said. 

California faces an estimated $23.6 billion budget shortfall brought on by sagging state revenues, the collapse of the high-tech industry and financial woes related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

Gov. Gray Davis’ budget released Tuesday did not call for tuition increases, although it does call for all parts of state government, including higher education, to cut spending. 

The proposed tuition increase would affect about 10,800 student, said Richard West, system executive vice chancellor and chief financial officer. 

Under the proposal, out-of-state students next year would pay $282 per semester unit — up from $246 per unit — and $188 per quarter unit, up from $146 this year. Full-time students would pay $8,460. 

“The trustees are trying to bring the fees more in line with what it costs to educate a student,” Bentley-Adler said. 

She said it costs about $10,500 per year to educate a student. 

California resident fees are subsidized by the state. In-state students pay less than $2,000 a year. 

West said the board doesn’t anticipate another increase for out-of-state students and that in-state tuition would not go up.