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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Fundamentals of Engineering (F.E.) Exam

Important Instructions on taking the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam

As a part of the outcomes assessment process required for accreditation of our Mechanical Engineering program, our department requires graduating seniors to take the nationally-administered Fundamentals of Engineering (F.E.) exam. Seniors take the exam as a part of the course requirements for ME 479/479L – Mechanical Systems Design II, usually during their final semester at ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ.

Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam is the first step in the process of becoming a licensed engineer. Completing this first step opens the door to many future career paths.

To sign up for the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, there are two steps to follow –

  1. Apply for approval to take the FE Exam through the South Dakota Board of Technical Professions.
  2. Register for the FE Exam with NCEES.

Registration is open year-round.

  1. The sooner you complete this step, the more choices you will have for exam dates/times.
    1. Go to the following web link and register (leave sections blank that do not apply to you):        
    2. Create a log-in and complete the online application for approval to register for the FE exam.
  2. Some time after submitting your initial application to the SD Board of Technical Professions through the web site above, you will receive further instructions indicating that you have been approved to register with the NCEES for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. You will then go to the NCEES web site to sign up for an exam time.

It’s important to complete the steps in order. Apply to the South Dakota Board first, then upon approval, go to the NCEES site to register for the exam.  You will need to create a MyNCEES account – link provided on the website. General information about the FE exam is available at the NCEES web site:

Information on how to download a reference manual and how to obtain other study aids (optional) is provided on the NCEES website. The provides review materials and a reduced cost. College of Engineering faculty will hold review sessions on the various subjects during the semester. Hopefully you had a chance to attend some of the sessions during the previous semester. Watch for a schedule announcement when you return to campus.

There will be multiple windows of time when you can schedule an appointment to take the exam. Most students will find the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Testing Center on campus to be the most convenient place to take the exam, another nearby location is the Pearson Professional Center in Sioux Falls. There are other sites available that may be closer to your home town -- The NCEES web site has a link to locations where the exam is available.

Please contact your ME 478 or ME 479 instructor if you have any questions.