SPC TESTING SERVICES

SPC offers a wide range of services for SPC students including placement testing, information on course credit by exams, opt-out exams, proctored testing, remote proctored testing, industry certification testing, and more.

Make a Testing Appointment

Make a testing appointment by campus

After Hours FCLE Testing is done outside of Test Centers Hours. We are administering the FCLE at these events at the EPI Center in EPI Tech Room 1-304.

After Hours at EPI

If you have approved accommodations through Accessibility Services, please inform your Testing Coordinator before the scheduled exam.

Placement testing

Placement testing helps you determine which courses you are ready for at SPC. These are not pass/fail tests, and test scores are used to help you decide what classes you should start with to help you be more successful.

Taking a college placement test helps you decide which classes you should take at SPC. The college placement test used at SPC is the Post-Secondary Education Readiness Test, also referred to as the PERT. Test scores are not pass/fail and are used to help you succeed on your academic path. 

Learn more about the test, how to take the test, preparing for the test, and an explanation of scores on the college placement test page.

Math placement is determined by your score on the Post-Secondary Readiness Test (PERT). If you score high enough on the PERT test you may be eligible to take the Accuplacer Advanced Algebraic Functions test to determine if you qualify to enroll in a higher-level math course. Find out more about the PERT test and Accuplacer AAF on our College Placement Test page, including an explanation of scores for math placement.

If you qualify to take the Accuplacer for math or have questions about math placement testing, contact the SPC Testing Department.

If your native language is not English and you score below college level on the reading portion Post-Secondary Readiness Test (PERT), you will need to take the Accuplacer ESL (formerly LOEP). This test determines your appropriate placement in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, which we offer online and on-campus. 

*If you need to take the Accuplacer ESL, you may still take the math section of the PERT. However, you may not enroll in math courses until you have successfully completed or are co-enrolled in EAP 1500.

 *International students with F1 visas who have a combined score of 85 or less on the Accuplacer ESL will be referred directly to the Intensive English Program.

You can take the Chemistry Placement Exam ONCE to place directly into CHM 2045/L if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • You completed one year of high school chemistry with a grade of C or better.
  • You have completed MAC1105 or MAC1106 (or tested into a higher level math on the algebra pathway) with a minimum grade of C or better.

To schedule the Chemistry Placement Exam, please contact your Academic Advisor. Once the advisor verifies that the student has taken high school chemistry AND had met the math requirement, the advisor will notify the SPC testing center. The notification from the advisor will indicate that the student has met the eligibility criteria. Students will not be permitted to notify the testing center themselves as only the advisor will be able to verify eligibility.

A score of 70% (ACS raw score of 36) or higher is required to pass the exam.

 Contact an advisor.

Course Credit by Exam/Course Opt-out

At SPC, you may be eligible to earn course credit for your scores on certain standardized tests and course specific opt-out exams.

You can earn credit for the Basic Computer and Information Literacy course (CGS 1070) requirement by successfully completing the Basic Computer and Information Literacy Exam.

You cannot take this exam if you are currently enrolled in or have previously attempted these courses at SPC:

  • CTS 1101
  • CGS 1060
  • CGS 1070

You will earn 1.00 credit hour with a passing score. The test credit is posted to your record as CGS 1070T with a "P" and will not be calculated into your GPA.

Taking the Test:

  • There is a $28.91 exam fee, paid to the testing vendor (McGraw-Hill) and a $10.00 proctoring fee to take the test, paid to St. Petersburg College
  • You must achieve a passing score of 70 on each section of the exam (Computer Concepts, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel)
  • Fill out this form to take your test in-person on an SPC Campus

Preparing for the Test: You can view a list of skills needed to pass the exam here: CGS 1070 Opt Out Exam Practice Resources

Retake Policy:

Students can take the Basic Computer and Information Literacy Exam a total of two times. There is a waiting period of three days between attempts and a charge of $10 for the second attempt.

The online version of the Basic Computer and Information Literacy Exam is currently unavailable as we upgrade our systems. You may opt to take it at of our campus testing centers.

If you are proficient in a language other than English, Spanish, French or German you may be able to satisfy your foreign language requirement by successfully completing the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and earning a Language Proficiency Certificate from the American Council the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL).

 Scheduling the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI):

1.     Go to https://tms.languagetesting.com/IndividualSite/.

2.     Click the Buy a Test button.

3.     When you reach the screen titled Find your Institution, you must enter St. Petersburg College as the institution name. If you do not, we will not receive your certificate to satisfy your foreign language requirement.

4.     There is a fee of $145.00 for the interview and a fee of $20.00 for the proctor session through Examity you will need to pay.

 If you also want college credits based on the completed Certificate, or you did not select St. Petersburg College as your institution during the registration process, you need to request a transcript through the American Council on Education (ACE). You can find instructions on submitting your certificate and ordering your transcripts by clicking here . ACE transcripts must be sent directly to admissions.records@spcollege.edu. Transcripts received from the student are considered unofficial and credit cannot be awarded.

If you are proficient in Spanish, German or French we recommend you take the College-Level Examination Program or CLEP (further info found in course credit by exam).

Did you know you can earn up to 45 academic credits for your scores on certain standardized tests? SPC accepts and grants college course credit for these tests:

Find out here which course credits are available through each exam.

Please note that you cannot be awarded credit for a course you have already taken and passed.

Contact Admissions and Records for questions.

Graduation Requirements

Depending on your degree and when you entered St. Petersburg College, you may be required to complete the Florida Civic Literacy Exam prior to graduating.

Effective Fall 2021, Associate in Arts and baccalaureate degree students under the 2021-22 catalog year or later, must demonstrate their civic literacy competency through successful completion of a course (POS 2041 or AMH 2020) AND by achieving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE).

This requirement will also apply to Associate in Science students under the 2022-23 catalog year or later.

Taking the test:

  • There is no fee to take the exam
  • The test is untimed with most students completing it within 1 hours. We recommend you plan for a minimum of 1/2 hours when making your appointment
  • The exam is only offered by appointment at our on-campus testing centers on scheduled days and times. You may take it at any campus. Remote testing is currently not available.

If you live outside Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco or Manatee counties OR you live out-of-state, alternate testing options are available.

Campus Day Testing Times
St. Petersburg/Gibbs Monday 10 a.m. / 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Clearwater Tuesday 10 a.m. / 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Downtown Wednesday 9 a.m. / Noon
Seminole Thursday 10 a.m. / 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Tarpon Springs Friday 9 a.m. / 11 a.m.

  • You must score 60% or correctly answer 48 of the 80 multiple choice questions on the exam.
  • If you need to retake the exam, you will need to submit a new request to reserve your seat. You may not take the exam more than once per day and we recommend waiting seven days and utilizing our study guides to prepare.
  • Priority is given to students graduating at the end of the term. If you are a candidate for the current semester, you will be notified by email and provided the registration link.
  • Scores will be available in MySPC 1-2 business days after completing the exam.

Preparing for the test: Learn more about the Florida Civic Literacy Exam and access study guides here.

Testing at SPC

Whether you need a placement test, are interested in course credit by exam, or are an Online student, SPC’s Testing Department is here to help!

You may opt to test at any of SPC’s Campus Testing Centers. Appointments are strongly recommended and may be required depending on the exam. 

  • Bring your ID on test day- acceptable forms of ID include:
    • A current driver’s license
    • A current SPC College student ID
    • A current state or federal ID card (such as a Green Card)
    • A current passport
  • Personal items will not be permitted in the Testing Center. NO large bags or purses allowed. Drinks and food are also prohibited.
  • Arrive on time to your appointment or you might need to be re-scheduled
  • The student taking the exam is the only persons allowed in the Campus Testing Center. Relatives/friends must wait outside and children are not to be left unattended anywhere outside during the duration of testing.

If you have approved accommodations through Accessibility Services, please inform your Testing Coordinator before the scheduled exam.

Online PERT

Online PERT is NOT available to students applying to our High School programs.

Online PERT is proctored through Honorlock proctoring system. Honorlock will charge $4.95 + Tax* per sitting to proctor the PERT.

To request online proctoring please use this testing request.

Please note all communication is done through your SPC student email.

In addition to certification testing, the Career Connections Certification Testing Center at the Allstate Center, provides test proctoring services for the community and non-SPC students.

Please reach GetCertified@spcollege.edu | 727-614-7263 or 727-341-4760.