Eagle
Rank Requirements*

Requirements were REVISED effective January 1, 2016.

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To see the requirements, without the changes highlighted, Click here.

For the previous requirements, Click here.

Transition rules for the Star, Life, and Eagle ranks:

• For 2016:
  • Boys joining on or after Jan. 1, 2016, MUST use the new requirements.
  • Boys who have completed First Class MAY complete the rank they are currently working on using the previous requirements, but then MUST convert to the new requirements for subsequent ranks.
• After 2016:
  • All Scouts MUST use the new requirements for all ranks.

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1. Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least 6 six months after you have achieved the rank of as a Life Scout.
2. Demonstrate that you live by the principles of As a Life Scout, demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your daily life. Tell how you have done your duty to God, how you have lived the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life, and how your understanding of the Scout Oath and Scout Law will guide your life in the future. List on your Eagle Scout Rank Application the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious (if not affiliated with an organized religion, then the parent or guardian provides this reference), educational, and employer (if employed), and two other references.
3. Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you already have required for the Life rank), including the following these 13 merit badges:
   1. First Aid
   2. Citizenship in the Community
   3. Citizenship in the Nation
   4. Citizenship in the World
   5. Communication
   6. Cooking
   7. Personal Fitness
   8. Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
   9. Environmental Science OR Sustainability
   10. Personal Management
   11. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
   12. Camping, and
   13. Family Life**

   You must choose only one of the merit badges listed in categories h, i, and k. Any additional merit badge(s) earned in those categories may be counted as one of your eight optional merit badges used to make your total of 21.

   	Name of Merit Badges	Date Earned:
   1.	_________________________	_________________________
   2.	_________________________	_________________________
   3.	_________________________	_________________________
   4.	_________________________	_________________________
   5.	_________________________	_________________________
   6.	_________________________	_________________________
   7.	_________________________	_________________________
   8.	_________________________	_________________________
   9.	_________________________	_________________________
   10.	_________________________	_________________________

4. While a Life Scout, serve actively in your unit troop for a period of 6 six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:⁹ ***
   

   Boy Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.* outdoor ethics guide.9	Varsity Scout team. Captain, co-captain, program manager, squad leader, team secretary, Order of the Arrow team representative, librarian, historian quartermaster, chaplain aide, instructor, or den chief. webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer outdoor ethics guide.	Venturing crew / Sea Scout ship. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster historian den chief, guide boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, storekeeper, or webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer
   	Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in his school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in his community.

5. While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting the Boy Scouts of America .) The A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your unit leader Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 512-927, in meeting this requirement. (To learn more about the Eagle Scout service project, see the Guide to Advancement, topics 9.0.2.0 through 9.0.2.16 9.0.2.15.)
6. Take part While a Life Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.

In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service.

8. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout your board of review for the Eagle Scout rank.¹⁰ **** In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service. (This requirement may be met after age 18; see below in accordance with Guide to Advancement, topic 8.0.3.1.¹¹)

Note: As of Jan. 1, 2014, the Cooking merit badge is required for the Eagle Scout rank.

Notes:

* For Varsity Scouts working on Boy Scout requirements, replace "troop" with "team" and "Scoutmaster" with "Varsity Scout Coach."
For Venturers working on Boy Scout requirements, replace "troop" with "crew" and "Scoutmaster" with "Crew Advisor."
For Sea Scouts working on Boy Scout requirements, replace "troop" with "ship" and "Scoutmaster" with "Skipper."

** You must choose only one merit badge listed in items (h), (i), and (k). If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in items (h), (i), and (k), choose one and list the remaining badges to make your total of 21.

*** ⁹Assistant patrol leader and bugler are not approved positions of responsibility for the Eagle Scout rank . Likewise, a unit leader-assigned Also, a Scoutmaster-approved leadership project should not cannot be used in lieu of serving in a position of responsibility.

¹⁰ APPEALS & EXTENSIONS

****If a Scout believes he has completed all requirements for the Eagle Scout rank, but is denied a unit signature or a Scoutmaster conference board of review, he may request a board of review under disputed circumstances in accordance with Guide to Advancement, topic 8.0.3.2.

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.

Although rarely granted, if If a Scout foresees that, due to no fault or choice of his own, he will be unable to complete the Eagle Scout rank requirements before age 18, he may apply for a limited time extension in accordance with 3 Guide to Advancement topic 9.0.4.0. Time extensions are rarely granted.

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AGE REQUIREMENT ELIGIBILITY

¹¹ AGE REQUIREMENT ELIGIBILITY.

Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may be earned by a registered Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout. He may earn these awards until his 18th birthday. Any Venturer or Sea Scout who has achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue working up to his 18th birthday toward the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms.

An Eagle Scout board of review may occur, without special approval, within three months after the 18th birthday. Local councils must preapprove those held three to six months afterward. To initiate approval, the candidate, his parent or guardian, the unit leader, or a unit committee member attaches to the application a statement explaining the delay. Consult the Guide to Advancement, topic 8.0.3.1, in the case where a board of review is to be conducted more than six months after a candidate’s 18th birthday.

If you have a permanent physical or mental disability, or a disability expected to last more than two years, or beyond age 18, you may become an Eagle Scout by qualifying for as many required merit badges as you can and qualifying for alternative merit badges for the rest. If you seek to become an Eagle Scout under this procedure, you must submit a special application to your local council service center. Your application must be approved by your council advancement committee before you can work on alternative merit badges.

A Scout or Venturer with a disability may also work toward rank advancement after he is 18 years of age if he meets the guidelines outlined in section 10 of the Guide to Advancement.

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Source: 2016 Boy Scout Rank Requirements (524-012)

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The Alternate requirements are also listed in more detail under Eagle Scout Rank - Alternate Requirements in the current  Boy Scout Requirements book.