Religious Institutions Not Under the Purview of the Commission

Florida Statute 1005.06 (1)(f), Florida Statutes: Religious Institutions Exempt from the Commission's Jurisdiction

Religious institutions that meet the requirements found in Section 1005.06(1)(f), Florida Statutes and Rule 6E-5.001, Florida Administrative Code are not under the jurisdiction or purview of the Commission for Independent Education and are not required to obtain licensure.

Section 1005.06(1)(f), F.S. reads:

A religious college may operate without governmental oversight if the college annually verifies by sworn affidavit to the commission that:

1. The name of the institution includes a religious modifier or the name of a religious patriarch, saint, person, or symbol of the church.
2. The institution offers only educational programs that prepare students for religious vocations as ministers, professionals, or laypersons in the categories of ministry, counseling, theology, education, administration, music, fine arts, media communications, or social work.
3. The titles of degrees issued by the institution cannot be confused with secular degree titles. For this purpose, each degree title must include a religious modifier that immediately precedes, or is included within, any of the following degrees: Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Education. The religious modifier must be placed on the title line of the degree, on the transcript, and whenever the title of the degree appears in official school documents or publications.
4. The duration of all degree programs offered by the institution is consistent with the standards of the commission.
5. The institution's consumer practices are consistent with those required by s. 1005.04, F.S.

For FL-SARA purposes, institutions that fall under s. 1005.06(1)(f), F.S., must submit the Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) annually with the FL-SARA application.  The MOU is a direct contract with the Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education Coordinating Council which serves as additional oversight for institutions enrolling out-of-state distance education students.