SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM S-6 For Registration Under the Securities Act of 1933 of Securities of Unit Investment Trusts Registered on Form N-8B-2 A. Exact Name of Trust: FT 290 B. Name of Depositor: NIKE SECURITIES L.P. C. Complete Address of Depositor's 1001 Warrenville Road Principal Executive Offices: Lisle, Illinois 60532 D. Name and Complete Address of Agents for Service: NIKE SECURITIES L.P. Attention: James A. Bowen Suite 300 1001 Warrenville Road Lisle, Illinois 60532 CHAPMAN & CUTLER Attention: Eric F. Fess 111 West Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60606 E. Title of Securities Being Registered: An indefinite number of Units pursuant to Rule 24f-2 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. F. Approximate Date of Proposed Sale to the Public: ____ Check if it is proposed that this filing will become effective on _____ at ____ p.m. pursuant to Rule 487. The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine. FT 290 Cross-Reference Sheet (Form N-8B-2 Items required by Instructions as to the Prospectus in Form S-6) FORM N-8B-2 FORM S-6 ITEM NUMBER HEADING IN PROSPECTUS I. ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL INFORMATION 1. (a) Name of trust Prospectus front cover (b) Title of securities issued Summary of Essential Information 2. Name and address of each Information as to depositor Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 3. Name and address of Information as to trustee Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 4. Name and address of Underwriting principal underwriters 5. State of organization The FT Series of trust 6. Execution and termination The FT Series; Other of trust agreement Information 7. Changes of name * 8. Fiscal Year * 9. Litigation * II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND SECURITIES OF THE TRUST 10. (a) Registered or bearer Rights of Unit Holders securities (b) Cumulative or distributive securities The FT Series (c) Redemption Rights of Unit Holders (d) Conversion, transfer, etc. Rights of Unit Holders (e) Periodic payment plan certificates * (f) Voting rights Rights of Unit Holders; Other Information (g) Notice of certificate- Rights of Unit Holders; holders Other Information (h) Consents required Rights of Unit Holders; Other Information (i) Other provisions The FT Series 11. Types of securities comprising The FT Series 12. Certain information regarding periodic payment plan certificates * 13. (a) Load, fees, expenses, etc. Summary of Essential Information; Public Offering; The FT Series (b) Certain information regarding periodic payment plan certificates * (c) Certain percentages Summary of Essential Information; The FT Series; Public Offering (d) Difference in price offered Public Offering for any class of transactions to any class or group of individuals (e) Certain other load fees, Rights of Unit Holders expenses, etc. payable by holders (f) Certain profits receivable The FT Series by depositor, principal underwriters, trustee or affiliated persons (g) Ratio of annual charges to income * 14. Issuance of trust's Rights of Unit Holders securities 15. Receipt and handling of payments from purchasers * 16. Acquisition and disposition of underlying securities The FT Series; Rights of Unit Holders 17. Withdrawal or redemption The FT Series; Public Offering; Rights of Unit Holders 18. (a) Receipt, custody and disposition of income Rights of Unit Holders (b) Reinvestment of distributions Rights of Unit Holders (c) Reserves or special funds Information as to Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator (d) Schedule of distributions * 19. Records, accounts and reports Rights of Unit Holders 20. Certain miscellaneous provisions of trust agreement (a) Amendment Other Information (b) Termination Other Information (c) and (d) Trustee, removal and successor Information as to Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator (e) and (f) Depositor, removal Information as to and successor Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 21. Loans to security holders * 22. Limitations on liability The FT Series; Information as to Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 23. Bonding arrangements Contents of Registration Statement 24. Other material provisions of trust agreement * III. ORGANIZATION, PERSONNEL AND AFFILIATED PERSONS OF DEPOSITOR 25. Organization of depositor Information as to Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 26. Fees received by depositor * 27. Business of depositor Information as to Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 28. Certain information as to * officials and affiliated persons of depositor 29. Voting securities of * depositor 30. Persons controlling * depositor 31. Payment by depositor for * certain services rendered to trust 32. Payment by depositor for * certain other services rendered to trust 33. Remuneration of other * persons for certain services rendered to trust 34. Remuneration of other * persons for certain services rendered to trust IV. DISTRIBUTION AND REDEMPTION 35. Distribution of trust's securities by states Public Offering 36. Suspension of sales of trust's securities * 37. Revocation of authority to distribute * 38. (a) Method of distribution Public Offering (b) Underwriting agreements Public Offering; Underwriting (c) Selling agreements Public Offering 39. (a) Organization of principal Information as to underwriters Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator (b) N.A.S.D. membership of Information as to principal underwriters Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 40. Certain fee received by See Items 13(a) and 13(e) principal underwriters 41. (a) Business of principal Information as to underwriters Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator (b) Branch offices of principal underwriters * (c) Salesmen of principal underwriters * 42. Ownership of trust's securities by certain persons * 43. Certain brokerage commissions received by principal underwriters * 44. (a) Method of valuation Summary of Essential Information; The FT Series; Public Offering (b) Schedule as to offering price * (c) Variation in offering Public Offering price to certain persons 45. Suspension of redemption rights * 46. (a) Redemption Valuation Rights of Unit Holders (b) Schedule as to redemption price * 47. Maintenance of position Public Offering; Rights in underlying securities of Unit Holders V. INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE OR CUSTODIAN 48. Organization and regulation Information as to of trustee Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 49. Fees and expenses of trustee The FT Series 50. Trustee's lien The FT Series VI. INFORMATION CONCERNING THE INSURANCE OF HOLDERS OR SECURITIES 51. Insurance of holders of * trust's securities VII. POLICY OF REGISTRANT 52. (a) Provisions of trust The FT Series; Rights agreement with respect of Unit Holders to selection or elimination of underlying securities (b) Transactions involving elimination of underlying securities * (c) Policy regarding The FT Series; Rights substitution or elimination of Unit Holders of underlying securities (d) Fundamental policy not otherwise covered * 53. Tax status of Trust The FT Series VIII. FINANCIAL AND STATISTICAL INFORMATION 54. Trust's securities during last ten years * 55. Certain information regarding periodic payment plan certificates 56. Certain information regarding periodic payment plan certificates 57. Certain information regarding * periodic payment plan certificates 58. Certain information regarding periodic payment plan certificates 59. Financial statements Report of Independent (Instruction 1(b) to Auditors; Statement of Form S-6) Net Assets __________________________ * Inapplicable, answer negative or not required. Preliminary Prospectus Dated September 18, 1998 FT 290 10,000 Units (A Unit Investment Trust) The attached final Prospectus for a prior Series of the Fund is hereby used as a preliminary Prospectus for the above stated Series. The narrative information and structure of the attached final Prospectus will be substantially the same as that of the final Prospectus for this Series. Information with respect to pricing, the number of Units, dates and summary information regarding the characteristics of securities to be deposited in this Series is not now available and will be different since each Series has a unique Portfolio. Accordingly the information contained herein with regard to the previous Series should be considered as being included for informational purposes only. Ratings of the securities in this Series are expected to be comparable to those of the securities deposited in the previous Series. A registration statement relating to the units of this Series will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. Such Units may not be sold nor may offer to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This Prospectus shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the Units in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. (Incorporated herein by reference is the final prospectus for FT 228 (Registration No. 333-39571) as filed on January 30, 1998, which shall be used as preliminary prospectus for the current series of the Fund.) MEMORANDUM Re: FT 290 As indicated in our cover letter transmitting the Registration Statement on Form S-6 and other related material under the Securities Act of 1933 to the Commission, the only difference of consequence (except as described below) between FT 228, which is the current fund, and FT 290, the filing of which this memorandum accompanies, is the change in the series number. The list of securities comprising the Fund, the evaluation, record and distribution dates and other changes pertaining specifically to the new series, such as size and number of Units in the Fund and the statement of condition of the new Fund, will be filed by amendment. 1940 ACT FORMS N-8A AND N-8B-2 These forms were not filed, as the Form N-8A and Form N-8B-2 filed in respect of Templeton Growth and Treasury Trust, Series 1 and subsequent series (File No. 811-05903) related also to the subsequent series of the Fund. 1933 ACT PROSPECTUS The only significant changes in the Prospectus from the Series 228 Prospectus relate to the series number and size and the date and various items of information which will be derived from and apply specifically to the bonds deposited in the Fund. CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM A Bonding Arrangements of Depositor: Nike Securities L.P. is covered by a Broker's Fidelity Bond, in the total amount of $1,000,000, the insurer being National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh. ITEM B This Registration Statement on Form S-6 comprises the following papers and documents: The facing sheet The Cross-Reference Sheet The Prospectus The signatures Exhibits Financial Data Schedule S-1 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant, FT 290 has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Village of Lisle and State of Illinois on September 18, 1998. FT 290 (Registrant) By: NIKE SECURITIES L.P. (Depositor) By Robert M. Porcellino Senior Vice President Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in the capacity and on the date indicated: NAME TITLE* DATE Robert D. Van Kampen Director of Nike Securities September 18, 1998 Corporation, the General Partner of Nike Securities L.P. Robert M. Porcellino Attorney-in-Fact** David J. Allen Director of Nike Securiites Corporation, the General Partner of Nike Securities L.P. ___________________________ * The title of the person named herein represents his capacity in and relationship to Nike Securities L.P., the Depositor. ** An executed copy of the related power of attorney was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with Amendment No. 1 to form S-6 of The First Trust Combined Series 258 (File No. 33-63483) and the same is hereby incorporated by this reference. S-2 CONSENTS OF COUNSEL The consents of counsel to the use of their names in the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement will be contained in their respective opinions to be filed as Exhibits 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 of the Registration Statement. CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP The consent of Ernst & Young LLP to the use of its name and to the reference to such firm in the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement will be filed by amendment. CONSENT OF FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P. The consent of First Trust Advisors L.P. to the use of its name in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement. S-3 EXHIBIT INDEX 1.1 Form of Standard Terms and Conditions of Trust for The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 22 and certain subsequent Series, effective November 20, 1991 among Nike Securities L.P., as Depositor, United States Trust Company of New York as Trustee, Securities Evaluation Service, Inc., as Evaluator, and Nike Financial Advisory Services L.P. as Portfolio Supervisor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-43693] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 22). 1.1.1* Form of Trust Agreement for Series 290 among Nike Securities L.P., as Depositor, The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee and First Trust Advisors L.P., as Evaluator and Portfolio Supervisor. 1.2 Copy of Certificate of Limited Partnership of Nike Securities L.P. (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.3 Copy of Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of Nike Securities L.P. (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.4 Copy of Articles of Incorporation of Nike Securities Corporation, the general partner of Nike Securities L.P., Depositor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.5 Copy of By-Laws of Nike Securities Corporation, the general partner of Nike Securities L.P., Depositor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 2.1 Copy of Certificate of Ownership (included in Exhibit 1.1 filed herewith on page 2 and incorporated herein by reference). 3.1* Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered. 3.2* Opinion of counsel as to Federal income tax status of Securities being registered. S-4 3.3* Opinion of counsel as to New York income tax status of Securities being registered. 3.4* Opinion of counsel as to advancement of funds by Trustee. 4.1* Consent of First Trust Advisors L.P. 6.1 List of Directors and Officers of Depositor and other related information (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 7.1 Power of Attorney executed by the Director listed on page S-3 of this Registration Statement (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-63483] filed on behalf of The First Trust Combined Series 258). ___________________________________ * To be filed by amendment. S-5