Life
Rank Requirements

A version of the note before requirement 1 was formerly included in each year's edition of Scouts BSA Requirements as a general note for all advancements. That note referred specifically to the requirements and the effective dates which were included in  that book. In 2021, since BSA discontinued publishing the Scouts BSA Requirements book, the note was included as an introductory note for each set of rank requirements.

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These rank requirements are official as of Jan. 1, 2021. If a Scout has started work toward a rank before that date using requirements that were current before Jan. 1, 2021, except as noted below, the Scout may complete that rank using the old requirements. Any progress toward a rank that is begun after Jan. 1, 2021, must use the requirements as they are presented on this webpage.

1. Be active in your troop for at least six months as a Star Scout.
2. As a Star Scout, demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived the Scout Law in your everyday life.
3. Earn five more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all), including any three additional badges from the required list for Eagle number more from the list for Eagle so that you have a total of seven from the required list of Eagle in that total number of 11 merit badges. You may choose any of the 17 merit badges on the required list for Eagle to fulfill this requirement.See Eagle rank requirement #3 for this list.

   	Name of Merit Badge	Date Earned
   (Eagle required)	_________________________	_________________________
   (Eagle required)	_________________________	_________________________
   (Eagle required)	_________________________	_________________________
   	_________________________	_________________________
   	_________________________	_________________________

    

4. While a Star Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster. At least 3 hours of this service must be conservation related.
5. While a Star Scout, serve actively in your troop for six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a unit leader-assigned leadership project to help the troop):

   Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or outdoor ethics guide 9	Venturing crew President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, den chief, historian, guide, quartermaster, chaplain aide, or outdoor ethics guide	Sea Scout ship. boatswain, boatswain's mate, purser, yeoman, storekeeper, or crew leader, media specialist, specialist, den chief, or chaplain aide.
   	Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in your school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in your community.

6. While a Star Scout, use the Teaching EDGE method to teach another Scout (preferably younger than you) the skills from ONE of the following choices, so that the Scout is prepared to pass those requirements to their Scoutmaster's satisfaction.
   1. Tenderfoot - 4a and 4b (first aid)
   2. Second Class - 2b, 2c, and 2d (cooking/camping)
   3. Second Class - 3a and 3d (navigation)
   4. First Class - 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d (tools)
   5. First Class - 4a and 4b (navigation)
   6. Second Class - 6a and 6b (first aid)
   7. First Class - 7a and 7b (first aid)
   8. Three requirements from one of the required Eagle merit badges, as approved by your Scoutmaster.
7. While a Star Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference
8. Successfully complete your board of review for the Life rank. ¹⁰

NOTE:

For Venturers working on Scouts BSA Requirements, replace "troop" with "crew" and "Scoutmaster" with "Crew Advisor."
For Sea Scouts working on Scouts BSA Requirements, replace "troop" with "ship" and "Scoutmaster" with "Skipper."

⁹ Assistant patrol leader is not an approved position of responsibility for the Star, Life, or Eagle rank.

¹⁰ If the board of review does not approve the Scout’s advancement, the decision may be appealed in accordance with Guide to Advancement, topic 8.0.4.0.

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VENTURERS and SEA SCOUTS

The following additional requirements apply to boys registered in the Venturing Program or as Sea Scouts.

• Any male Venturer or Sea Scout who has achieved the First Class rank as a member of Scouts BSA in a troop 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.
• A board of review will be conducted by the crew or ship committee.

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