What is the FE Exam?

Who the FE exam is for

The FE exam is designed for engineers who are close to finishing, or have recently finished, an accredited engineering degree. It checks that you have the broad technical foundation expected of a new graduate before you start building professional experience. Most candidates take it in their final year of school or within a few years of graduating, while the coursework is still fresh.

NCEES offers the FE in several disciplines: civil, mechanical, electrical and computer, chemical, environmental, industrial and systems, and other disciplines. You choose one when you register. Civil engineering students almost always take FE Civil, because its questions follow their coursework most closely.

The format

FE Civil is a computer-based test (CBT) offered year-round at Pearson VUE test centers. The appointment lasts about 6 hours and includes:

• A short nondisclosure agreement and an on-screen tutorial.
• About 5 hours 20 minutes of exam time for 110 questions.
• A scheduled break of about 25 minutes, offered partway through.

Most questions are multiple choice with four options. You will also see some alternative item types: questions with more than one correct answer, fill-in-the-blank numeric answers, point-and-click on a diagram and drag-and-drop. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave a question blank.

What it covers

NCEES publishes an exam specification for FE Civil that lists every knowledge area and roughly how many questions each one gets. The areas span the whole civil curriculum: mathematics and statistics, ethics and professional practice, engineering economics, statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, materials, fluid mechanics, surveying, water resources and environmental engineering, structural, geotechnical, transportation and construction engineering.

The specification is the single most useful study document you can have. It tells you where the questions are, so you can spend your time in proportion to the points available. Download the current version from ncees.org before you plan anything.

The reference handbook

You can't bring notes or books. Instead, the exam screen includes the NCEES® FE Reference Handbook as a searchable PDF. It holds the formulas, tables and charts you need, but not explanations, so it rewards people who already know which equation they are looking for. You can download the same handbook free from your MyNCEES account and should study with it from day one.

Scoring and results

Results are reported as pass or fail. NCEES does not publish a fixed passing percentage; the passing standard is set so that it reflects the minimum competence expected, and scores are scaled to account for small differences between exam versions. Results usually arrive in your MyNCEES account within about 7 to 10 days. If you don't pass, you get a diagnostic report showing your performance in each knowledge area, which makes a retake much easier to plan.

What passing gets you

Passing the FE is usually the first formal step toward a PE license. With a passing result and your degree, you can apply to your state licensing board for EI or EIT certification. After that, most states require around four years of qualifying engineering experience before you can be licensed, and you will also need to pass the PE exam. Rules vary by state, so check with your board.

How to get started

1. Create a MyNCEES account and download the FE Civil specification and the FE Reference Handbook.
2. Take a full-length practice exam under real conditions to find your starting point.
3. Build a study schedule around the knowledge areas where you lost the most points.
4. Register and book a test date that gives you a clear deadline.