Undergraduate Advising FAQs

You should meet with your academic advisor

• In the month prior to enrollment for the next semester. Generally, in October to plan for spring classes, and in mid-February to plan for summer and fall classes.
• When you are considering changing your schedule (dropping or adding a class you’re currently enrolled in).
• When you are considering changing your major or area of emphasis.
• When you are struggling in a class.
• When things happening in your life are impacting how successful you are in your courses. 

Final grades for a given course should be posted to ULink within 48 hours of the final exam. However, sometimes this timeline varies. Expect to see your grades posted the Monday after finals week at the very latest. 

• First and foremost, your advisor is a “safe space” for you to ask questions and express concerns. Their goal is always to help.
• Your advisor will be knowledgeable about your degree and graduation requirements, university and department policies and procedures, campus resources and the schedule of classes.
• Your advisor will take detailed notes during your appointment and update your degree progress. After your appointment is finished, you’ll be given a copy of these documents.
• Your advisor will also challenge you. During your college experience, your advisor will task you with discovering and navigating new information related to things like your field of study, career options, research opportunities, campus events and even personal choices that impact your academic success.

Students experiencing extenuating circumstances beyond their control that impact their ability to complete courses and perform academically may utilize the compassionate withdrawal process. The process is unique to each student and will depend on their academic unit, the semester they are seeking a withdrawal, financial aid, student account, housing status, and other considerations.

Students interested in learning more about the compassionate withdrawal process should complete the Compassionate Withdrawal Inquiry form to help expedite the process. A Dean of Students Office staff member will follow up regarding the next steps. 

• First check your ULink account to be sure that there are no holds on your account, as these can prevent registration.
• The next common reason for registration difficulty is attempting to register outside your designated register time. Early registration times are determined by last name and academic classification. If you get an “Invalid Registration Appointment” message, it just means that you’ve tried to register before your scheduled time.
• A final reason that student cannot register is because they have a degree application on file. If you have applied for your degree, but need to take classes in the following semesters, you need to speak with your advisor. If none of the above situations apply to you and you still are unable to register for classes then contact your advisor for additional assistance.

You can make changes to you major in ULink. Find out how to change, add or declare a major.

Students can register for their classes on ULink. View the step-by-step registration process.

• Plan to arrive or log on to your appointment a little early to ensure you aren’t late.
• Have an idea of which classes you want or believe you need to take. It’s usually helpful to have a copy of your most recent education plan or degree audit with you.
• Prepare any questions you have about your degree requirements, internships or program admission requirements.
• Prepare to clearly identify and articulate any concerns you have regarding your progress toward your degree or your success in classes. 

Registration holds can occur for a number of reasons. Advising requirements, parking tickets, overdue library books and fees can often lead to holds on your registration and can be easily removed once the cause of the hold is resolved. 

To see if you have a hold log in to your ULink account and head over to the “Student Services” page. In the box labeled “Personal Information” find the “Holds on Account” link. Following this link will pull up a page that lists any holds that exist on your account. For more information about the hold, including info on who to contact to get it fixed, click the hypertext link for each hold.

Students who did not take a test in high school may also be able to place into a second semester course or higher by taking the placement exam. They may also fulfill the language requirement by taking the CLEP Exam.

The exam may be taken in the following languages: Arabic, American Sign Language, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin and Spanish. In order to be placed at the appropriate level, all students who have studied Spanish and French in high school will be required to take the placement exam. Students who have prior study in our other languages are encouraged to take the placement as so they can begin in the best course for them. Find more information on language placement exams and how to register.

Applying students should apply to have their degree awarded at the beginning of the semester in which they expect to complete all of their degree requirements. 

You can apply for your degree via your ULink account. 

For more information about how to apply for your degree, visit our Resources & Tools page. For more information on application deadlines, visit the Registrar's site. 

Students can view unofficial transcripts or semester grades through their ULink account:

• To view your grades for a particular semester, log in to your account and click on the “Student Services” tab. 
• Locate the “Grades” link under the Registration heading. Click on this link and then select the desired term to see the grades that were earned during that semester. 
• To view your entire University of Louisville transcript, find the “View/Print Unofficial” link under the “Transcripts” heading (Note: Your transcript will only reflect the coursework that you’ve completed here at the University of Louisville). 

Generally speaking, if a financial aid award is based on the student carrying a full-time course load and they fall below 12 semester credit hours, the financial aid award may be reduced. Completion rates and grade earnings can also impact financial aid awards.

If withdrawing from a given course would not take you below the minimum number of enrollment hours required by the financial aid award, then you may be able to withdraw from the course without any negative affects. However, students are advised to always check with the Financial Aid Office if they have some concerns about the impact of withdrawing on their aid eligibility.

Students have the opportunity to take courses at other colleges or universities as either visiting students or through the Metroversity program. 

However, students should check with their academic advisor prior to attempting to register for courses at another institution, as most academic units require that students follow specific guidelines and get written permission to take courses outside the University of Louisville.