Earning a professional engineering license starts with successfully completing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. Over the years, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) has invested in several initiatives to increase engineering student engagement to foster their interest in taking the FE exam prior to or immediately following graduation. The programs align with NSPE’s efforts to support students as they earn their engineering degrees and embark on their career journeys.

FE Ambassadors Program

The FE Ambassadors Program, which NCEES launched in 2023, recruits current college engineering students to become ambassadors to share the value of licensure and the importance of the FE exam with their peers through social media, on-campus events, activities, presentations, and via the student chapters of engineering societies.

The FE Ambassadors Program emphasizes the FE exam as a vital first step on the path to professional licensure and encourages engineering students to take the exam within months of graduation to improve their chances of success.

Over the past decade, students and recent graduates who have taken the FE exam within 12 months prior to or 12 months after graduation from an ABET-accredited engineering program experienced higher pass rates (71.34% and 70.62%, respectively) than candidates who took the exam more than 12 months after graduation (63.43%), according to data gathered by NCEES. During the NCEES 2024-2025 fiscal year, 57,902 individuals took the FE exam—this is a 9% increase from the previous year (53,213). The organization offers interactive practice exams for the seven FE exam disciplines.

The current cohort of ambassadors includes students attending Auburn University, Kennesaw State University, North Carolina A&T University, Prairie View A&M University, Stony Brook University, University of Alabama, University of Louisiana Lafayette, University of Maryland, and the University of North Dakota.

NCEES is accepting applications for students interested in serving as ambassadors with availability starting during the Fall 2026 semester. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA at the time of application and be enrolled as an on-campus, full-time undergraduate student with the intention of taking the FE exam. All ambassadors receive virtual training and on-going support from NCEES, including an allowance to cover programming expenses.

Did You Pass the FE Exam?

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FE Honor Cords

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NCEES provides free honor cords for current engineering students who pass the FE exam prior to graduating from a participating ABET-accredited engineering program. The honor cords highlight your achievement on graduation day.

To receive an honor cord, students must select the appropriate option during the exam registration process and receive notification of passing results on the exam at least 21 days before their graduation date. All honor cords are sent directly to a designated on-campus contact at participating schools for distribution.

For graduation ceremonies held during 2024-25 school year, NCEES distributed more than 11,000 honor cords to students. The current honor cord distribution list includes 210 participating educational institutions.

Credly Digital Badges

Digital badges are available to examinees when they pass the FE exam. Badges can be shared through email signatures and social media platforms. They is a way to let others know you passed the exam and you are on the path to becoming a PE.

Navigate Your Career and Build for the Future

NSPE offers discounted membership dues to recent college graduates of ABET-accredited schools and/or programs.

NSPE membership provides access to unique resources, peer connections, and learning opportunities that will help you grow personally and professionally throughout your career journey.