Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) – Environmental Practice Test

The FE Environmental exam consists of 110 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 5 hours and 20 minutes. This includes a brief tutorial and an optional break. The exam is computer-based and administered at approved Pearson VUE testing centers. All questions are based on the information contained in the NCEES FE Reference Handbook, which is provided digitally during the test.

You must become intimately familiar with the digital PDF of the handbook. Do not simply read it; use it to solve every practice problem. Learn its organization, master the search function, and understand what information it contains and, crucially, what it does not. Your exam efficiency will depend on your ability to quickly locate equations, constants, and tables within this document.

While it presents an additional challenge, it is a common and surmountable one. Your practical experience is an asset for contextualizing concepts. The key is to allow more time for a thorough review of foundational subjects like mathematics, chemistry, and fluid mechanics, which may be less fresh. Focused review courses and disciplined study schedules are highly recommended for those returning to academic material.

NCEES does not publish a fixed passing score. It is determined through a psychometric process that considers the difficulty of each exam form. The result is a scaled pass/fail report. Focus your energy on achieving broad competency rather than targeting a specific number of correct answers.

A good rule of thumb is to budget just under 3 minutes per question. Monitor your pace closely. Mark questions you are unsure of and return to them if time permits. It is strategically better to provide an answer for every question, as there is no penalty for guessing. Utilize the optional break to reset mentally for the second half.