- Be active in your unit (and patrol if you are in one) for at least 6 months as a Star Scout.
- Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
- Earn 5 more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all), including any
3 more from the required list for Eagle.
___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________ - While a Star Scout, take part in service project(s) totaling at least 6 hours of work. These project(s) must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
- While a Star Scout, serve actively in your unit for 6 months in one or more of the positions of responsibility listed in requirement 5 for Star Scout (or carry out a Scoutmaster unit leader-assigned leadership project to help the troop your unit).
- While a Star Scout, use the EDGE method to teach another Scout
(preferably younger than you) the skills from ONE of the following
seven choices, so that he is prepared to pass those requirements to his
unit leader's satisfaction.
- Second Class - 7a and 7c (first aid)
- Second Class - 1a (outdoor skills)
- Second Class - 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f (cooking/camping)
- First Class - 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d (first aid)
- First Class - 1, 7a, and 7b (outdoor skills)
- First Class - 4a, 4b, and 4d (cooking/camping)
- Three requirements from one of the Eagle-required merit badges, as approved by your unit leader.
- Take part in a Scoutmaster conference
- Complete your board of review.
* Choose any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill requirement 3. See requirement 3 in the Eagle Scout requirements for a list of badges required for Eagle.
NOTE: The footnote to Requirement 3 means that, for example, a Scout can use both Lifesaving AND Emergency Preparedness and/or Swimming, Hiking, AND Cycling toward the requirement of 3 more from the required list for Eagle when working toward Life Scout.) Also note that the asterisks are specifically placed on the lines marked "(required for Eagle)" signifying that the note applies to these badges. The Guide to Advancement explicitly states this on page 43:
7.0.4.5 Earning Eagle-Required Merit Badges for Star or Life Rank
Candidates for Star or Life, in the selection of “any four” or “any three,” respectively, of the merit badges required for Eagle, may choose from all those listed, including where alternatives are available: Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving; and Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming. For example, Cycling, Hiking, and Swimming could count for Life rank, but only one of those would serve toward the 12 required merit badges for the Eagle Scout rank.
Please note that Requirement 8 - (Complete your Board of Review) MAY be done AFTER the Scout' has reached age 18. All other requirements must be completed BEFORE the Scout's 18th Birthday.
Upcoming changes
New Sustainability Merit Badge to Be an Eagle-Required Option
Starting in summer 2013, when the Sustainability merit badge becomes available, those working toward the Eagle Scout rank may choose to earn either the Sustainability merit badge OR the Environmental Science merit badge. Earning one or the other merit badge will be required. Scouts who have already earned Environmental Science may also earn Sustainability, but only one of the two merit badges will count as “Eagle-required.” The other may count as an elective merit badge necessary to reach the total of 21 required merit badges.
Note that this change to the Eagle required list will also result in a change to the footnote to requirement 3. Once the Sustainability merit badge becomes available, the footnote will be changed as follows: "* Choose any of the 15 16 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill requirement 3."
Cooking Merit Badge to Be Required for Eagle Starting Jan. 1, 2014
Effective Jan. 1, 2014, the Cooking merit badge will be required to obtain the Eagle Scout rank. Regardless of when a Scout earned the Life rank or began working toward Eagle, unless he fulfills all the rank requirements—with the exception of his board of review— before Jan. 1, 2014, he must earn the Cooking merit badge to become an Eagle Scout.
Note: This means that as of January 1, 2014, the number of "Eagle required" merit badges will be 13, instead of 12, and the number of "Optional" badges will drop to 8. In addition, this change to the Eagle required list will result in another change to the footnote to requirement 3. Once the Cooking merit badge becomes required, the footnote will be changed again as follows: "* Choose any of the 16 17 required merit badges in the 12 13 categories to fulfill requirement 3."
VENTURERS and SEA SCOUTS
The requirements above are those for boys enrolled as members of Boy Scout Troops (including Venture Patrols within Troops) or Varsity Scout Teams. The following requirements apply to boys registered in the Venturing Program including Sea Scouts.
- Any male Venturer who has achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue advancement toward Star, Life and Eagle Scout ranks up to his 18th birthday.
- He must meet the requirements as prescribed in the official Boy Scout Handbook and the current Boy Scout Requirements book.
- The Venturer or Sea Scout may fulfill leadership requirements by serving as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster, historian, den chief, guide, webmaster, Leave No Trace trainer, boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, or storekeeper.
- The Scoutmaster conference will be conducted by the Advisor or Skipper.
- A board of review will be conducted by the crew or ship committee.
| Worksheet for use in working on these requirements: | Format | |
|---|---|---|
| Word Format | PDF Format | |
