A breadth examination across undergraduate geology. The first formal step toward Professional Geologist licensure in most states. Issued by National Association of State Boards of Geology. Intended for geology students and recent graduates beginning the licensure sequence.
Take this exam in your final year. Every year you wait makes it measurably harder, because you are testing on coursework you are actively forgetting. Nobody has ever regretted taking the FG early.
The essentials
| Purpose | First of two examinations in the PG licensure sequence |
|---|---|
| Scope | Breadth of undergraduate geology |
| Best timing | Final year of a bachelor degree or shortly after graduation |
| Registration | Through your state licensing board, not directly with ASBOG |
| Format | Multiple choice, administered on a published schedule |
What it covers
The examination spans the standard undergraduate geology curriculum. If your program covered these areas properly, the examination is a review exercise. If your program had gaps, the examination will find them.
This is a useful secondary reason to check a program curriculum against the examination content outline before you enroll. A geology degree that omits mineralogy, petrology, or structural geology is a degree that leaves you with remedial work ahead of licensure.
- Mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry
- Stratigraphy, sedimentology, and paleontology
- Structural geology and tectonics
- Hydrogeology and surface processes
- Engineering geology and geological hazards
- Field methods, mapping, and data interpretation
How to prepare without wasting months
Work from the published content outline and build a gap list against your own transcript. Most candidates need focused work in two or three areas rather than a comprehensive review of everything.
Practice questions are useful for identifying weak concepts and much less useful as a memorization exercise. If you cannot explain why an answer is right, you have not closed the gap.
What this means for you
Register through your state board and confirm eligibility before you plan a test date, since boards set their own requirements about how close to graduation you must be.
Fees, eligibility rules, and examination windows change. Confirm every figure on this page with the issuer before you plan around it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the FG before I graduate?
In many states, yes, typically within a defined window before degree completion. Your state board sets this rule, so confirm it directly.
What happens if I fail?
Retakes are permitted subject to your board policies and the published examination schedule. It is not a one-attempt credential.
Does passing the FG make me a licensed geologist?
No. It is the first of two examinations, and licensure additionally requires qualifying supervised experience and the Practice of Geology exam.
Other credentials in this field
Professional Geologist Licensure
The single most consequential credential in applied geology. In many states it is not optional if you want to take professional responsibility for your own work.
ASBOG PGASBOG Practice of Geology Exam
The applied professional judgment examination, and the final examination step before Professional Geologist licensure.
GISPGIS Professional Certification
A portfolio, experience, and examination credential. The most widely recognized general certification in the geospatial profession.