College students from the Gulf Coast region are making their way to Virginia campuses this week as more local schools open their doors to students displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

A crew of students and doctors from Blacksburg's medical college, meanwhile, are heading south later this week to help treat Gulf Coast residents in need of medical attention.

The American Council on Education estimates that Katrina displaced up to 100,000 students at more than 30 colleges. While Louisiana State University and other institutions are reopening this week, schools in the hardest-hit areas - such as Tulane University and the University of New Orleans - may be closed for the fall semester, or longer.

Nearly every college in Virginia has offered to help absorb the crush of students hoping to continue their education as their home schools rebuild.

The University of Virginia had enrolled 140 students for the semester as of Tuesday afternoon, including 12 into the law school.

Virginia Tech is expecting at least 21 students, although the university is still accepting applications through 5 p.m. today.

"Some students started classes yesterday, and some started today," said Larry Hincker, a Tech spokesman.

Tech is also among several Southern universities planning to offer special, online courses to displaced students through the Sloan Foundation.

Hollins University, which like many private colleges in the state is offering a tuition-free semester to students at closed Gulf Coast institutions, is expecting at least three students to begin classes this week. Hollins officials said they have room for 15 to 20 female undergraduates.

Roanoke College is also expecting a handful of late arrivals from hurricane-ravaged schools. Because the college is already at capacity, school officials are concentrating mainly on Roanoke-area natives enrolled at Gulf Coast institutions or the siblings of current Roanoke College students.

But Michael Maxey, dean of admissions at Roanoke College, said he and others are willing to work with students.

For instance, Maxey said he is talking with a former Roanoke College student who transferred to the University of New Orleans to be closer to his family.

"There is a great need for all of us to be flexible when working with these students because ... in many cases, they are having to move so quickly," Maxey said.

Between 10 and 20 third-year students and several faculty from the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg are headed in the opposite direction. The students plan to leave Thursday to help staff a free clinic in South Gulfport, Miss.

"We're pulling them out of the hospitals and putting them down there, so this will be part of their educational experience," said Bill King, assistant vice president for student services and marketing at the private medical college.