Civic Literacy:
What Your Student Needs
When did the student first enter a Florida public state university or college?
That academic year is the cohort year — not the student’s UCF arrival date — and it determines every rule that follows. For transfer students, use these rules:
Florida public transfer
UCF’s process: cohort = year they first enrolled at any Florida public institution (FCS or SUS), not their UCF start date. (The BOG regulation itself assigns transfer cohorts by first SUS entry; the FCS-inclusive rule is UCF’s implementation.) Their transcript flags completion status.
Dual enrollment exception
DE courses taken in high school don’t start the clock. Cohort begins when they enter a Florida institution after finishing high school.
Private / out-of-state transfer
Cohort = the year they arrive at UCF. Yes — students from Florida private institutions must still complete the requirement.
Two rule changes: “OR” became “AND” — then the approved assessment options changed
CL Cohort 2 must meet only one requirement. CL Cohorts 3 and 4 must meet two requirements — Course and Assessment. For CL Cohort 4, the list of approved assessment options changed. (CL Cohort 1 — students who entered before Fall 2018 — has no civic literacy requirement.) Note: these state-defined civic literacy cohorts are separate from UCF advising cohort assignments, which are based on the student’s UCF start term. Semester ranges shown reflect UCF’s definition of the cohort year; other Florida institutions may define cohort years differently.
Any one option from the table below completes the requirement — course, exam credit, or FCLE.
Both requirements apply. The free, online 2018 FCLT (USCIS Naturalization Test with supplemental questions) is an approved assessment option for this cohort.
Both requirements apply. The unproctored 2018 FCLT is no longer an approved assessment option for students entering in 2024–25 or later. Students must satisfy the Assessment through an approved option, such as the FCLE or qualifying accelerated credit, including AP, CLEP, or other approved exams (see the table below for what each satisfies).
Beginning Fall 2024, students in any CL cohort may use the currently approved CL Cohort 4 options to satisfy the civic literacy requirement, provided those options fulfill their cohort’s requirements (per the Board of Governors’ Civic Literacy Guidance).
What each option satisfies
Course
Assessment
Both ✓✓
— for CL Cohort 2 students, any single option below completes the requirement.
| Option | Minimum score | Requirement satisfied |
|---|---|---|
| UCF Courses | ||
| POS 2041 — American National Government | Passing grade | Course |
| AMH 2020 — U.S. History 1877–Present | Passing grade | Course |
| AMH 2010 — U.S. History to 1877 (only if completed Fall 2024 or after) | Passing grade | Course |
| AMS 2010 — American Civilization (only if completed Spring 2025 or after) | Passing grade | Course |
| Accelerated Credit (from high school) | ||
| AP Government & Politics: United States | 3 | Both ✓✓ |
| AP United States History | 4 | Both ✓✓ |
| AICE History, U.S. History c.1840–1990 (A-Level) | A–E | Course |
| AICE History, U.S. History to 1877 (AS-Level) (effective August 2026) | A–E | Course |
| AICE History, U.S. History since 1877 (AS-Level) (effective August 2026) | A–E | Course |
| IB History: History of the Americas | 5–7 | Course |
| Exams Taken at UCF / CLEP — CLEP: $97 ticket + $45 proctoring, or free via Modern States voucher | ||
| 2021 Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) ($30 · in person at the University Testing Center) | 60% | Assessment |
| CLEP American Government | 50 | Both ✓✓ |
| CLEP History of the United States I | 50 | Both ✓✓ |
| CLEP History of the United States II | 50 | Course |
| 2018 FCLT — USCIS Naturalization Test: Civics, with supplemental questions (free · online via Webcourses/Canvas) | 60% | Assessment only if started at a FL public institution Summer 2024 or earlier · N/A for Fall 2024+ starters |
The colored tags show what a passing result satisfies. “Both” options are the only single-step routes for CL Cohorts 3 and 4. The Undergraduate Catalog is the definitive source for all requirements.
Prices are subject to change without notice. Students must verify current fees on the official registration websites before scheduling or purchasing.
Two civics exams — different cost, format, and eligibility
UCF offers two versions. They are not interchangeable, and neither one fulfills the Course requirement.
2021 FCLE — the standard proctored exam
$30 per appointment · 80 questions · ~2 hours · proctored in person at the University Testing Center (Howard Phillips Hall 106) · schedule via RegisterBlast · available year-round except a 7–10 day summer maintenance window. Covers American democracy, the U.S. Constitution, founding documents, and landmark cases, legislation & executive actions.
2018 FCLT — the free unproctored option
Free · 100 questions · unproctored, online, non-credit course in Webcourses (Canvas), taken during fall, spring, or summer. Eligibility is limited: no longer an approved assessment option for CL Cohort 4, so it only serves students who started at a Florida public college or university Summer 2024 or earlier. Fall 2024+ starters must use the 2021 FCLE, CLEP, or AP instead. Note: the 2018 FCLT is not accepted at Florida state colleges (FCS), and no official score reports are available.
Passing score for both exam versions.
Wait between 2021 FCLE retakes — with no limit on attempts.
Arrive early. More than 15 min late forfeits the fee. Free rescheduling only up to 7 days before.
Pass/fail shows immediately; the degree audit updates within a few weeks.
Helpful Links
Enroll in the free 2018 FCLT → Webcourses
FCLE details → University Testing Center
Study guide → UCF Libraries
Free CLEP Am. Gov. prep → Modern States
Request your free exam voucher → Modern States
CLEP details & registration → University Testing Center
Civic Literacy request form → UCFIT ServiceNow
Academic Success Coaching
Official policy → Undergraduate Catalog