The Basics

What is it?

The FE exam is a 6 hour, 110 question, computer based test that is administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). You can choose to take the exam for your respective discipline: chemical, civil, electrical and computer, environmental, industrial and systems, mechanical engineering, or you can take the generic exam for “other disciplines”. The discipline specific test is recommended, since this allows you to focus your studying. More information about the exam and the outline of the tested material is available on the NCEES website.

Why is it important?

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is step 1 of 2 of your emerging career as an engineer. This exam tests your understanding of the fundamental engineering concepts within your respective discipline. These are concepts that every engineering graduate should know. The exam thus ensures that you are competent enough to begin your endeavors towards professionalism and officially certifies you as an Engineer in Training (EIT). Step 2 of course, is the Professional Engineering (PE) exam that is taken when your basic knowledge, combined with years of experience, qualifies you to become a certified professional of the field. Having this certificate is one of the most important things you can do for your career.

Who can take the FE Exam?

The requirements for who can take the FE exam are determined by each state’s professional licensing board. The board ultimately provides you with the certification, while the NCEES administers the test that determines if you should be certified. Typically you are able to take the FE exam as early as a few months before graduating with an engineering bachelor's degree. By this point you should have taken all of your core engineering courses. For some states, engineers with associates degree or no degree may take the test if they have sufficient experience. Refer to your state’s licensing board to confirm these requirements.

The Application

When should I take the exam?

Based on recommendations from many test takers, it is best to take the exam during or right out of college when the study material is fresh. The material that is tested will be similar to the things you learned in college. Taking the test as soon as possible typically reduces the amount of studying you have to do. The test is provided year round.

How do I apply?

The exam application must go through two channels: (1) your state licensing board and (2) the NCEES. Each state is different, so check with them first. Some states require their approval before you sign up for the exam through NCEES and others allow you to submit an application for the EIT certificate after passing the test. To apply for the certification you must provide verifications of your education and/or your experience and pay application fees for both the state and NCEES. State applications may take a couple months. The NCEES payment process takes up to 2 days. Once you’ve processed your payment with NCEES, you can schedule an exam within 24 hours. You have 12 months to take the exam before the NCEES application expires.

How many times can I take the exam?

Again, this varies by state, but generally, you may take the exam 3 times per year and once every two months.

The Exam Layout

How is the test formatted?

The exam is a computer based test with an allotted time of 6 hours. The 6 hours includes 10 minutes for an introduction to the exam and a 25 minute break. The exam is proctored by a certified testing station where most of your personal effects will be kept in a locker. The only resource you are allowed to use is the NCEES FE Reference Handbook that is provided to you as a searchable pdf. You are allowed to bring an NCEES approved calculator and will be provided with writing tools that are to be returned before you leave.

The actual exam is 5 hours 20 minutes and 110 questions long. The questions are split up into two sessions, each session contains 55 questions. You are allowed to skip, bookmark, and return to questions within the session that you are currently working on. However, once you submit the first session, you are not allowed to return back to those questions. You may decide how long to take on the first session; this can be less, more than, or exactly half of the allotted time frame. Since the timing is to your discretion, it is important that you manage your time well. Whatever time you have left may be used for the second session. Between each session you are allowed to take a scheduled break that is up to 25 minutes long. You may decide to take less or no break at all, but this time will not be added to your actual test period. During the sessions you are also allowed to take unscheduled breaks to go to the bathroom, access beverages, food or medication, and other approved items, but the clock will not stop.

Refer to the NCEES Examinee Guide for additional testing requirements and guidelines.

What are the questions like?

The questions are based on the fundamental concepts you’ve learned in your undergraduate engineering program and will not deviate from the exam outline that is provided in the discipline specific Exam Specifications on the NCEES website. This outline gives you the topics and the number of questions per topic that will be tested. Since there are 110 questions and only 5 hours 20 minutes, each question should be solvable within approximately 2.9 minutes. This means, each question should take one or two lines to solve. There are five types of question formats, with the most common being multiple choice.

1. Multiple Choice (4 choices) – Select one option, majority of questions in the exam
2. Multiple Answers – Select multiple answers that are correct
3. Select by Clicking – Click on a point on a graph, etc
4. Drag and Drop – Matching, sorting, labeling, etc
5. Fill in the Blank – Type in the answer

The best way to gauge what the exam will be like and it’s level of difficulty is to take the NCEES practice exam.

How are the questions scored?

No points are deducted for incorrect answers, so be sure to provide an answer for all questions. There will be some questions that are added as trial questions for possible use in future exams. These questions are not scored, but are instead tested for its quality. The exam is weighted based on the level of difficulty for each test. There is no posted formula for the scoring on the questions, but the general consensus for the cut score is around 50-55% correct.

What is the pass rate?

The pass rate varies by discipline and ranges from 61% to 77% for first time test takers that have attended an accredited engineering college and took the exam within a year of graduation. Mechanical engineers had a pass rate of 77% and electrical and computer engineers had a pass rate of 71% in 2018. The latest pass rates are posted on the NCEES website.

When do I find out if I passed?

Your results will be given to you within 7 to 10 days after the exam. If you pass, you will not receive a score, just an indication of pass. If you fail, you will receive diagnostics for how well you did on each section.

The Preparation

How should I start studying?

There are three main places you should begin. The first is reviewing the exam specifications for your discipline specific test. This will inform you of the topics you should focus on.

The second is the NCEES FE Reference Handbook. You can either purchase a hard copy from the NCEES website or download a free pdf version from your MyNCEES account. I would recommend studying from the pdf since this is the most like the actual exam, where you will be able to use the search function (CTRL+F). Since this is your only available resource during the exam, it can be assumed that the formulas you will need and therefore the types of questions asked will come from this handbook. As you study each topic, look through the handbook and review the concepts behind the equations that are listed. You should become very familiar with this resource, cross reference the exam specifications with the equations, know how it is formatted, where to look for various topics and tables. For example, some equations that are needed for the mechanical exam may be in the civil section.

The third most important resource is the NCEES FE Practice Exam. This will help you to understand the level of difficulty of the questions, the exam format, and help you to narrow down which areas you should focus your studying in.

Finally, use supplemental study material and practice problems to build your understanding of the concepts and to ensure you understand how to apply the equations in the handbook. The Engineering Pro Guides FE Technical Study Guide was created by assessing the three resources listed above, organizing the need to know topics and equations, and providing background information for the key concepts you need to pass the exam. It is intended to guide you through each exam topic in an easy to understand and efficient manner. Practice problems are provided in each section to reinforce your understanding of the concepts.

What can I bring to the Exam?

Based on the NCEES website, the following items are allowed. Most test centers will have lockers for you to store your personal items. It is a good idea to bring food or snacks for your break, but this will be stored outside the testing area. Refer to the NCEES Examinee Guide for more detail.

Allowed:

1. ID used for admission
2. Approved calculator (a backup calculator may be stored in the locker)
3. Eyeglasses
4. Light sweater or jacket
5. Test center locker key
6. Test center provided booklet and marker
7. Test center comfort aids, approved upon visual inspection. See the Pearson VUE Comfort Aid List on the Pearson VUE website (includes medicine – inhaler, aspirin not in bottle, eye drops, cough drops, etc and mobility devices – crutches, wheelchairs, etc. Tissues and earplugs must be provided by the test center.)
8. Religious head coverings

Prohibited:

1. Cell phones
2. Electronic Devices (other than approved calculator)
3. Watches
4. Wallets and Purses
5. Hats and hoods
6. Bags
7. Coats
8. Books
9. Pens, Pencils, Erasers
10. Food, Drinks
11. Weapons
12. Tobacco
13. Eyeglass cases
14. Scratch Paper (all writing devices are provided)

Which calculators are approved?

The following are approved calculators for the 2018 NCEES exam.

• Casio FX-115 and FX-991 (all models)
• Hewlett Packard HP-33 and HP-35, no other models
• Texas Instrument TI-30X and TI-36X (all models)

Based on input from test takers, the following calculators are the most popular: TI-36X Pro for its interface and ability to save previous calculations when shut off and Casio FX-991EX ClassWiz for its processor and resolution. Both have complex number conversion capabilities. Before purchasing your calculator, verify with the NCEES website for the latest list of approved calculators.