UNLV's Claude access is organized into three tiers. Every UNLV account is automatically provisioned into Tier I at no additional cost. Tiers II and III are optional, seat-based upgrades for users who need a higher, more predictable usage allowance. This article explains what each tier includes and how to request an upgrade.
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What are the Claude tiers?
What are the Claude tiers?
All three tiers include the same products: Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code. Tier I is consumption-based and automatic for all UNLV accounts. Tiers II and III are seat-based upgrades billed per user, per month.
| Tier |
Name |
Products Included |
Price |
| Tier I |
Claude Pro |
Chat, Cowork, Claude Code |
No cost to the user; monthly usage cap applies |
| Tier II |
Claude Premium |
Chat, Cowork, Claude Code |
$20/seat/month |
| Tier III |
Claude Max |
Chat, Cowork, Claude Code |
$50/seat/month |
API access is always a separate environment and billing model. It is not included in any of the three tiers above. For more information, see Requesting Claude API Access at UNLV.
What's included in each tier?
What's included in each tier?
Tier I — Claude Pro Automatically provisioned for all UNLV faculty, staff, and students. Consumption-based usage with a monthly cap. Equivalent to Anthropic's consumer Pro plan.
Tier II — Claude Premium Seat-based upgrade. Provides about 2.5 times the usage of Anthropic's consumer Pro plan. Requires departmental funding approval.
Tier III — Claude Max Seat-based upgrade. Provides about 11 times the usage of Anthropic's consumer Pro plan. Requires departmental funding approval.
How usage works
Model exclusions within a tier
Anthropic can exclude a specific model from a seat's usage allowance even when the seat otherwise includes Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code. As of September 2026, Claude's Fable 5.1 model is included at no extra cost only on Tier III Claude Max seats (up to 50% of that seat's weekly usage limit). Tier II Claude Premium seats do not include Fable 5.1.
If you see a message referencing "usage credits are required for this model," this is the likely cause. Contact AI Solutions through the AI Solutions General Assistance form to check your seat's tier and discuss options.
How usage works
Tier I usage is measured by how much you use, rather than a fixed seat cost, and is subject to a monthly cap. Once that cap is reached, Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code all stop accepting new requests at the same time. There is no separate free or lightweight model that remains available underneath the cap; when the cap is reached, all three products are unavailable until the cap resets at the start of the next month.
Tiers II and III use a rolling 5-hour session window that starts from your first message, with an additional weekly cap on top.
Anthropic does not publish exact message counts, since usage varies based on message length, attachment size, and conversation length. Anthropic also notes that exceeding 50 sessions per month may result in limited access, applied case-by-case rather than as a strict cutoff.
How to check your usage
How to check your usage
In Chat: Click your name or initials in the lower left corner, select Settings, then select Usage. This shows your session and weekly usage as a percentage.
In Claude Code: Run /usage at any time to see your current standing. If you hit a limit mid-task, Claude Code will tell you when your window resets.
Usage data is not shown inside an active conversation. You need to check Settings separately.
How to request an upgrade
How to request an upgrade
Faculty and staff can request a Tier II or Tier III upgrade through the Claude Tier Upgrade form. Requests are reviewed by Procurement for funding approval before UNLV IT activates the seat.
Faculty may also request an upgrade on behalf of a sponsored student researcher for university-related work. Students may not submit this request themselves; a faculty sponsor must submit on their behalf and provide the funding source.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to do anything to get Tier I access? No. All UNLV accounts are automatically provisioned into Tier I at no cost.
Will my access be cut off if I reach my Tier I usage cap? Yes, all three products (Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code) stop accepting new requests once the monthly cap is reached. There is no separate free or lightweight model that remains available. Access resumes when the cap resets at the start of the next month.
Can I upgrade from Tier II to Tier III? You can move from Tier II to Tier III by submitting a new request through the Claude Tier Upgrade form. Upgrades require departmental funding approval. You cannot move from Tier III down to Tier II, and seats cannot be transferred to another person. Once activated, a seat stays at its tier for the remainder of the annual term.
Is API access included in any tier? No. API access is a separate environment and billing model, and is requested independently. See Requesting Claude API Access at UNLV.
What happens if I cancel my Tier II or Tier III seat? Tier II and III seats are billed annually. If you start partway through the year, you are only charged for the remaining months. If you cancel before the year is up, there is no prorated refund for the months not used.
Does my Tier II or Tier III seat include every Claude model?
Not necessarily. As of September 2026, Fable 5.1 is not included on Tier II Claude Premium seats. It is included, up to 50% of weekly usage, on Tier III Claude Max seats. Contact AI Solutions to confirm your seat's tier.