FE Exam

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is the first step in the process leading to a Professional Engineering (PE) license. To prepare students for this goal, all biological, civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering majors are required to pass the FE exam to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

NCEES FE exam details (including scoring and passing rates).

Frequently Asked Questions

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How much does it cost?

$225.00 per attempt.

How do I sign-up to take the FE?

To register for an FE exam, create/log-in to your MyNCEES account , select the REGISTER button, and follow the onscreen instructions.

Where can I take the FE?

The FE can be taken at any NCEES-approved location, including those across the country. USU offers the exam in the University Inn 115 (not to be confused with the testing center attached to the library) on weekdays when the university is open.

How do I study for the exam?

  • Login to your MyNCEES account and download the free Reference Handbook in PDF. This booklet contains many of the formulas students need to know for the exam, and is available during the exam. It is strongly recommend that students download this handbook and familiarize themselves with it beforehand as each FE exam uses the same booklet (there may be many pages that don’t apply to you if you’re not a chemical engineer for example). Becoming familiar with the manual prior to the exam will ensure that students don’t waste precious exam time searching for formulas.
  • Download the exam specification for your discipline. This page lists the various topics that will be on the exam and an approximate number of how many questions will be in each category.
  • Purchase a practice exam that will be mailed to you. These practice exams cost $30.
  • Search Amazon/EBay for an “FE Review Manual” for your specific discipline.

I’m a Biological Engineering student, which exam do I take?

Biological Engineering students should select the “Other disciplines” FE Exam.

How many times can I take the exam?

  • One attempt is allowed per quarter. Quarters are as follows: January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December.
  • Three attempts in one calendar year (from the first attempt).

I’ve passed the FE, how do I let USU know?

Please email your academic advisor the verifiable link provided to you via email. This will allow your advisor to complete the FE requirement in your Degree Works.

Resources

These resources provide additional information to help you familiarize yourself with the testing format, how to use the references and tools that are available to you and generally help you be prepared so that nothing is a surprise on exam day. Many of your questions will be answered by

Before you take the assessments try this practice examExternal link icon