Florida International University 11200 S.W. Eighth Street Miami, Florida 33199 305.348.2000

 Page Revised: July 18, 2001

Contents:
3.10  College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)

3.10 COLLEGE LEVEL ACADEMIC SKILLS TEST (CLAST)  

Effective: June 29, 1994

PURPOSE
To establish CLAST requirements

AUTHORITY/SOURCE:
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Appendix A, Selected Florida Statutes 240.107
Florida Administrative Code

POLICY
The CLAST is the College Level Academic Skills Test required by the State of Florida of all students seeking an undergraduate degree for the first time. The CLAST is designed to test the communication and computation skills that are judged by the faculty of the state universities and community colleges to be associated with successful performance and progression through the undergraduate degree levels. The four sections of the CLAST are ESSAY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS, READING, and MATHEMATICS.

Effective August 1, 1984, students must pass all four sections of the CLAST to receive the Associate of Arts degree. Students who do not pass all parts prior to admission MUST pass the remaining section(s) of CLAST by the time they complete thirty-six (36) upper division credits or a total of ninety-six (96) credits hours. Failure to pass the remaining section of the CLAST will directly impact the student's eligibility to register for additional upper division courses at the University. Successful completion of the CLAST is required for students to receive the baccalaureate degree from the University.

The University Test Center is responsible for the administration of the CLAST. The CLAST is administered once each semester and transfer students must participate in all pre-CLAST activities administered by the University Learning Center and Test Center.

Only fully-admitted students seeking an undergraduate degree for the first time, who have completed eighteen (18) semester hours are eligible to register for the CLAST. CLAST should be taken by all first-time degree seeking students by the time they complete 60 hours of credit. Transfer students who have more than 60 credits hours should take the exam when they have completed appropriate preparation. A pre-CLAST is required for transfer students.

Students with a bachelor's degree admitted to a "second" undergraduate degree program are exempt from taking the CLAST. If an FIU School or College requires the CLAST as part of its admission policy, the student must consult the CLAST section of the Florida Teachers Certification Exam (FTCE) for registration and dates of administration. Other exemptions include (1) all students who earned an accredited bachelor's degree or higher, and (2) students who have received an AA degree prior to September 1, 1982 and who were admitted to upper division status in a state university before August 1, 1984.

Any student who has taken a subtest of the CLAST at least four times and who has not achieved the minimum required score, but has otherwise demonstrated proficiency in coursework in the same subject area, may petition the CLAST Waiver Committee to recommend a waiver from that particular subtest. A waiver may be recommended to the president upon majority vote of the committee. If a waiver for a given subtest is approved, the student's transcript shall include a statement that the student did not meet the requirements of the subtest waived and that a waiver was granted. Waiver requests must be processed through the University Test Center.

A student required to take the College-Level Academic Skills Test who has a record of physiological disorder(s) that substantially impairs that person's visual, auditory, manual or speaking abilities or who has a record of a learning disability, should request special test accommodations or a waiver through the Office for Disabled Students.

PROCEDURE
Students may initiate all CLAST related requests through the University Learning and Testing Center.
PC 521, 305-348-2151