As community colleges and public universities cope with the double whammy of state budget cuts and increased student demand, private institutions are stepping in to help fill the void, officials said.

University of Phoenix in Suisun City is one such institution which has seen as much as a 10 percent increase in community college students who are hoping to find classroom spots and required course work to complete their degrees.

"We're seeing about a 10 percent increase in people coming back because they couldn't get classes they needed in community colleges," said Bob Eoff, University of Phoenix vice president for Northern California.

"A lot of times (students) are looking to transfer, but some are just not having the luck of getting into state schools," Eoff said.

University of Phoenix officials are working on a strategic plan with nearby Solano Community College to assure its students have good access to the school, said Jo Hoffmeier, University of Phoenix vice president of community relations and product safety.