This page exists for the moments when you don't know what to do. Pick your situation and get a specific sequence of actions, UNLV offices, and phone numbers.
Select what's happening. The response is organized by what to do in the next 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days. Includes specific UNLV offices, phone numbers, and exactly what to say.
Failing a course does not mean your semester is over. What matters now is how fast you respond and what you do next. The students who recover are the ones who act in the next 48 hours.
Log into Canvas and find your exact percentage in every course. Use the Grade Needed calculator on the Tools page to see if recovery is mathematically possible. Know your exact situation before taking any other step.
⚡ Grade Needed CalculatorSubject line: [Course + Section] — quick check-in. Introduce yourself, acknowledge where you stand, and ask specifically what the best path forward looks like. One email today changes how they see you for the rest of the semester.
A W does not affect your GPA. An F does — permanently. Find the exact withdrawal deadline for this semester at the Registrar's office. If you're mathematically unable to pass, a W is almost always the smarter choice.
📋 UNLV Registrar Withdrawal infoNot next week. This week. Advisors at UNLV can walk you through grade replacement options, course load adjustments, and what failing a course means for your specific program. They've helped students in exactly your situation hundreds of times.
🎓 UNLV Advising — SSC-130Free for all enrolled UNLV students. Located in the Lied Library. Drop-in and scheduled sessions available for most courses. Go before finals week. Not during it.
📚 Academic Success CenterA medical situation, whether physical or mental health, does not have to permanently damage your GPA or transcript. UNLV has specific processes designed for exactly this situation. Act before grades are posted.
If you can still complete some courses, an Incomplete grade (I) or individual course withdrawal may be the right option. If you cannot continue any coursework, a Voluntary Health Withdrawal (VHW) removes the entire semester from your transcript.
The Student Wellness Center handles Voluntary Health Withdrawals for medical and psychological conditions that significantly impair your ability to function as a student. This process removes the entire semester from your transcript if approved.
🏥 VHW Information ✉ vhw@unlv.edu 📞 702-895-0136If you have completed most of the coursework but cannot finish, email each professor explaining your medical situation and requesting an Incomplete grade. You'll need documentation and the professor must agree. An I grade gives you up to a year to finish the remaining work.
The UNLV Support Team coordinates between your professors, advising, health services, and other offices simultaneously. One call to them can trigger notifications to all your professors so you do not have to have the same difficult conversation seven times.
🤝 UNLV Support Team 📞 702-895-1404Withdrawing from courses (even for medical reasons) can affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and financial aid eligibility. Contact the Financial Aid office immediately after or alongside any withdrawal to understand the impact and whether a SAP appeal applies to your situation.
💰 UNLV Financial AidFamily emergencies, bereavement, caregiving responsibilities, and domestic situations are among the hardest academic crises to navigate because they often lack obvious documentation. Here's what actually works.
This office connects students to emergency funds, basic needs support, and coordinates with other departments. They can also write a supporting letter for your situation, an official document from a university office that carries significant weight in any appeal or late withdrawal petition.
🤝 Student Support & Advocacy 📞 702-774-4121Death certificate or obituary for bereavement. Medical records with dates if a family member was ill. Police report if law enforcement was involved. Hospital visit records. Letters from employers if you took emergency leave from work. Even a text message thread establishing the timeline can help.
If the semester's withdrawal deadline has passed, you can petition for a late withdrawal with documented extenuating circumstances. The ASC reviews petitions and forwards them to Faculty Senate for final approval. Family emergencies with documentation are among the most commonly approved cases.
📋 Late Withdrawal — ASCThe UNLV Support Team can send courtesy notifications to all your professors simultaneously, an official university communication that acknowledges your situation without sharing private details. This changes how professors respond compared to a personal email from a student they barely know.
🤝 UNLV Support Team — 702-895-1404Withdrawal is one of the most misunderstood options in college. A W on your transcript does not affect your GPA. An F does — permanently. Here is how it works at UNLV.
UNLV's course withdrawal deadline is typically around week 10-12 of the semester. After this date, a W is no longer available through the standard process. To withdraw after this date requires petitioning for a late withdrawal with documented extenuating circumstances.
📋 UNLV Registrar Withdrawal info & deadlinesA W appears on your transcript but has zero GPA impact. An F counts as 0.0 in your GPA calculation and stays on your record. If you are going to fail a course regardless, a W is almost always the better choice, unless withdrawing affects financial aid, visa status, or program eligibility in ways a failing grade would not.
Some programs have minimum credit requirements per semester. Some financial aid requires full-time enrollment. Some visa statuses have enrollment minimums. Withdrawing from one course can have ripple effects you do not expect. Confirm the implications with your advisor first.
🎓 UNLV Advising — SSC-130Standard course withdrawals are processed through the Rebel Success Hub in MyUNLV. Individual course drops can be done online. A total withdrawal from all courses requires a form submitted through the Office of the Registrar.
🖥 MyUNLV — Rebel Success HubWithdrawing from courses affects your Satisfactory Academic Progress. If you drop below the 67% completion rate or below minimum enrollment for your aid, your financial aid eligibility can be affected. Call Financial Aid the same day you withdraw to understand the implications.
💰 UNLV Financial AidMissing class compounds faster than almost any other academic problem. Every missed lecture is missed material, missed participation points, and a weakened relationship with the professor. Here is how to stop the spiral.
The hardest part of breaking an absence pattern is showing up after you've been gone. Go anyway. Late is better than absent. A student who shows up after missing several classes and says nothing is better positioned than one who keeps missing. You cannot fix what you keep doing.
Keep it brief. Introduce yourself, acknowledge the absences without over-explaining, and ask what you missed and what you can do going forward. Do not ask for exceptions or special treatment. Ask for clarity on where you stand and what the path forward looks like.
Log into Canvas and find your exact standing in each course. Use the Grade Needed calculator to see whether passing is still mathematically possible. If it is not, the withdrawal decision becomes urgent. Check the deadline immediately.
⚡ Grade Needed CalculatorThis is not a moral judgment, it's a practical question. Work schedule, mental health, sleep, motivation, wrong major, or feeling disconnected: these all point to different kinds of help. Knowing the root cause determines the right next step. UNLV Counseling is free and does not require a crisis to access.
💙 UNLV Counseling — SSC-240Financial aid suspension due to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) violations is one of the most frightening and most misunderstood academic situations. There is a defined appeal process with a high approval rate for legitimate situations.
Federal financial aid requires three things: a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, a 67% course completion rate (credits completed divided by credits attempted), and completion of your degree within 150% of the normal timeframe. A SAP violation means you have fallen below one or more of these thresholds.
A SAP appeal allows you to explain the circumstances that caused the violation (medical issue, family emergency, personal crisis) and present a plan for getting back on track. Approval rates for well-documented appeals are high. The Financial Aid office reviews these and has staff who help students build their appeal.
💰 UNLV Financial AidWithdrawing from some courses is a partial withdrawal. Withdrawing from all courses triggers the Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation, meaning the university must return unearned federal aid to the government. Partial withdrawal has different and generally more manageable financial implications than full withdrawal.
If a financial emergency is part of your crisis (unexpected bill, lost income, can't afford food or transportation), UNLV's Student Support and Advocacy office administers the S.O.S. Emergency Relief Fund, which provides up to $300 for enrolled students facing unexpected situations. It will not solve everything but it can bridge a gap.
💵 S.O.S. Emergency FundThese are the offices that handle academic crises at UNLV. When in doubt, start with Academic Advising or the UNLV Support Team.
Your first stop for academic standing, degree planning, withdrawals, and understanding your options.
Free tutoring, late withdrawal petitions, and academic support for all UNLV students.
Voluntary Health Withdrawals for medical and psychological conditions affecting academics.
Free counseling for enrolled students. No crisis required to make an appointment.
Coordinates across departments when a student is in distress. One call reaches multiple offices.
SAP appeals, R2T4 calculations, and understanding how withdrawals affect your aid.
Official withdrawals, transcripts, enrollment verification, and academic calendar deadlines.
Emergency funds (S.O.S. up to $300), basic needs, food pantry, and student crisis support.
Academic appeals, grade disputes, and student conduct matters.