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Eagle Scout Rank

These are old requirements. See the 2016 requirements.

Attaining the Eagle rank is often the end goal of a scout and his parents. It looks good on a resume and shows commitment to a program over an extended span of time. But, just like each rank advancement before it, the Eagle rank is a major advancement milestone, but not the culmination of scouting.

After reaching Eagle, a scout can continue to earn merit badges and be rewarded with an Eagle Palm for each 5 additional merit badges.

He can also continue to lead and guide the troop or he can change his focus to helping Cub Scouts become Boy Scouts. He may become a Junior Assistant ScoutMaster, helping the ScoutMaster with projects to improve the troop. Or, he can look for worthwhile endeavors outside of scouting to which he can apply his scouting background.
There are many ways an Eagle Scout can continue to contribute to and receive from the Scouting program.

Download the most recent Eagle Scout Application Form
This application can be filled in online by the Eagle candidate.

Rank Requirements:

Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.
Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious, educational, and employer references.
Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you already have), including the following:
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 merit badge listed in items (8), (9), and (11). If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in items (8), (9), and (11), choose one and list the remaining badges to make your total of 21.
  Name of Merit Badge
14. ________________________________
15. ________________________________
16. ________________________________
17. ________________________________
18. ________________________________
19. ________________________________
20. ________________________________
21. ________________________________

While a Life Scout, serve actively in your unit for a period of 6 months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:

Boy Scout troop: Patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, Leave No Trace trainer.

Varsity Scout team: Captain, co-captain, program manager, squad leader, team secretary, Order of the Arrow team representative, librarian, historian, quartermaster, chaplain aide, instructor, den chief.

Venturing Crew / Sea Scout Ship: President, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, den chief, quartermaster, historian, guide, boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, storekeeper.

Lone Scout: Leadership responsibility in his school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in his community.

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.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your unit leader 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 9.0.2.15.)
You can download the fillable PDF Eagle Project Workbook.
Take part in a Scoutmaster conference (with Scoutmaster, Coach, or Advisor).
Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review. 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.)

________
NOTE: All requirements for Eagle Scout must be completed before the candidate's 18th birthday. The Eagle Scout board of review can be held after the candidate's 18th birthday.

If a scout has a permanent physical or mental disability, he may become an Eagle Scout by qualifying for as many required merit badges as his ability permits and qualifying for alternate merit badges for the remainder. An Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Award Merit Badges form must also be used. See the Eagle Scout Rank Alternate Requirements

More Boy Scout Information to Use:
Merit Badges - requirements and aids
Scout Activities - great scout activity ideas
Scout Awards - see what awards are available to Boy Scouts
Scout Ceremonies - a few ceremony ideas
Scout Games - patrol or troop games
Scout Graces - fun meal graces
Scout Jokes - funny, gross, and silly jokes for scouts
Scout Projects - community projects for Scout patrols or troops
Scout Recipes - tasty food recipes for scout camping
Scout Skits - skits that Scouts like to do
Scout Songs - songs for scouts
Scout Stories - stories that Scouts will enjoy and understand
Scout Uniform - make sure you put all those badges and patches in the right spots
Scout Tests - online tests for Scouts to test their knowledge
Scout Schedule - sample schedule to reach First Class rank in 12-18 months
Eagle Scout Schedule - sample schedule to reach Eagle Scout

Comments:
Mar 21, 2013 - Karen Brown

My father (not 88) was an eagle scout in his youth. I would like to replace his award that was lost in a burglery a few years ago. Can you help me with this? He was from Barrien Springs Michigan when he was in the scouts and his mother was the camp's cook.

Mar 21, 2013 - Scouter Paul

Karen - the BSA has a Duplicate Eagle Credentials form you can complete and submit.

Sep 30, 2013 - Rick Mahler

I have gotten as far as life scout when I was in scouting now I am 48 years of age. Can a person my age still earn my eagle ranking. I also recieved my order of the arrow and would like to do my service hour. Is any of these things possible. Please let me know, I would like to finish these great archievements.

Sep 30, 2013 - Yukon Jack

@ Rick. Adults (defined by boy scouting as 18+ years of age) cannot earn the Eagle Rank. They used to, back in the 1910s and until as late as 1968 I believe, but no longer. As for the OA, if you were voted in, tapped out, and finished your Ordeal as a youth, then you may indeed transfer your old lodge membership to your current council's lodge (unless you still live in your hometown and it is the same lodge...then just pay your dues and reactivate your membership) and pick up right here you left off. However, if you did not complete your Ordeal, the voting expires after 1 year and you must be re-selected and begin the process anew. Adults have a different nomination process from boys entirely, so let me know if you need to be re-elected. If you're not sure, I ask simply did you ever receive an OA sash? If you did, then you finished Ordeal at minimum and are good to go. Good luck.

Oct 24, 2013 - jason sageer

im about to become an eagle scout next month. woohoo ill be the last eagle scout before my troop before we merge with another troop because our charter was pulled. :)

Jan 03, 2014 - Seth Parkinson

I am currently a life scout. I am 14 and I plan on getting my Eagle before my birthday in April. I have no idea what to do for my project. I have some ideas but I really don't know for sure. Any ideas? Oh yeah, and my troop doesn't really do scouting any more and so I have pretty much done it all myself. I am also part of the OA.

Jan 05, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Seth - Yes, lots of ideas. Take a look at Eagle Projects to see what others have done.

Mar 04, 2014 - Parent of an eager scout

I'm a little confused about the Eagle merit badge requirements. If a scout managed to earn extra merit badges such that he has more than the required 11 when achieving Life rank (for example, he's earned 16), does he still need to earn 10 additional merit badges while a Life scout or does total need to be 21 (i.e. he would only need to earn 5 more during that rank)as long as he's earned the Eagle required badges as well.

Mar 04, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Parent - It's a total of 21, so he'd need to earn 5 more. Your son can look over the Eagle application and notice it has spots for him to list all the merit badges he is using for Eagle.

Mar 06, 2014 - Karen

Hi. My son is a life scout. He has cognitive disabilities. I find discussion of the scouts with disabilities and achieving eagle rank with appropriate application, but I don't see discussion of how it pertains to the eagle project. By omission, it reads like they don't have to do one. Can you clarify? Thank you.

Mar 07, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Karen - All eagle scouts do need to lead a service project. That is one of the rank requirements.

Mar 08, 2014 - Karen

Thank you. As there are accommodations made for merit badges, due to abilities, are there accommodations made for the Eagle project? The ability to plan, lead and execute are limited in these same boys. I don't see any guidelines, limits or suggestions pertaining to that aspect of attaining the rank. I am not able to find those details anywhere. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

Mar 08, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Karen - I'm not sure what you would be looking for. There are no such guidelines, limits, or suggestions for any scout working towards his eagle rank. He needs to come up with a project idea as described in the Eagle Project Workbook, which has explanations and information for parents. Since there are no minimum requirements for the project, except that the scout plan it and lead others, the scope and complexity of the project can vary greatly depending on the scout's abilities. I would recommend you and your son discuss the expectations with his scoutmaster and district advancement chair since they will decide if a project is appropriate or not. They can also give you personal guidance on what planning and leadership they expect from the scout.

Mar 08, 2014 - Karen

Thank you. Did not have the impression that there are no minimum requirements. They seem more stringent than the merit badges. Will talk to them.

Mar 11, 2014 - Gene Bair

I am an Eagle Scout for 32 years now and am advising two Eagles Scouts on their Court of Honor ceremony. There is a discussion on whether or not they should have the patch already sown onto their uniforms for the ceremony. the packets have come back from National. I would say no patch until after the ceremony. The parents state they have seen videos of other ceremonies with the boy with the patch already on his uniform. I had my Life Scout badge still on my uniform when I received mine. I can not find any thing on the proper protocol. Thanks, GB.

Mar 11, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Gene - The ceremony is just to recognize the scout's accomplishments. It is nothing official, and is optional. If the scout has completed all the requirements and received the patch, there's no reason he can't be displaying it on his uniform.

Mar 12, 2014 - Bradley Shelledy

Scouter Paul, I agree, the scout should be proud of what they have accomplished and should have the right to wear the patch after it has been awarded to them, however I feel that just like they could not wear the other rank patches at the court of honor where in they received those ranks they should wear their life scout badges to their Eagle Scout court of honor just as they wore their previous ranks to the other courts of honor where in they received their other ranks.

Mar 12, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Bradley - The way courts of honor are run in your troop is not a BSA requirement, but the most common way. When a scout earns a rank, he could be presented his rank patch immediately after the board of review, or at the next patrol meeting, or next troop meeting, or pretty much any time. The presentation of the patch does not need to wait until a court of honor which may be months away. There's an interesting post at this page.

Mar 16, 2014 - Bradley Shelledy

I guess I was lucky that my troop always had at least one board of review and court of honor per month so that each scout could be recognized not only before his peers but also before his families too. So when it came time for my Eagle Court of Honor I had a few friends that had gone before me.

Jun 19, 2014 - Jay Maples

I met all the requirements before my 18th birthday for Eagle except for the review board because I left the area. Is it possible to recover all the information and do the review board as an adult after several years. I do not have my uniforms or records any longer and would need to recover them, is that possible also. I was tapped out and finished the ordeal for OA also and that is the only part of the uniform I have left.

Jun 20, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Jay - I doubt it. You could contact your former BSA council and ask them directly about recovering your records, and the possibility of having a board of review.

Jul 23, 2014 - Mom of Two Scouts

Is it mandatory for an Eagle candidate to have a recommendation/reference from a religious leader? Is it mandatory to have one from an employer?

Jul 27, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Mom - No and no. If the scout is not affiliated with an organized religion, then the parent or guardian provides this reference. If the scout is not employed, then he obviously wouldn't have an employer.

Aug 23, 2014 - Mom of soon to be Eagle Scout

I have heard that beginning January 2015, earning your "Religious Emblem" will be a new requirement for Eagle. Is that true?

Aug 23, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Mom - No, it's not true. The Religious Emblem is a separate award from advancement.

Sep 09, 2014 - James Allen

I am an adult Eagle Scout whose son has joined Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub. Should I wear my uniform to his pack meetings even if I am not a member of the Pack leadership group?

Sep 09, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@James - the BSA uniform is to be worn only by registered members of the BSA. You should submit a BSA adult application and become a member before wearing your uniform.

Nov 08, 2014 - Future Eagle Scout Mom

My son has started to begin his eagle project. My son met with the troop committee chair to discuss some barriers that he is having with the eagle advisor in our troop. He has had trouble getting responses back to his emails. In the conversation, the chairperson stated that he has to have been in attendance of 75% of the troop meetings. First is that a requirement? My son is also in venturing crew and this summer he volunteered for both NYLT staffing (weekend/weeklong). Would that count as part of the time if the 75% a true requirement to earn his eagle? Also, can my son decide to leave the troop and complete his project with the crew? If so, what steps are needed to be done to do this?

Dec 19, 2014 - Ian Stuart

Projects aren't allowed to be fundraisers right?

Dec 19, 2014 - Scouter Paul

A fundraiser is not an Eagle Service Project.

Dec 19, 2014 - Ian Stuart

@Scouter Paul I didn't think it was but I was confused because on the Recent Eagle Scouts Projects page i found projects that appeared to be fundraisers, such as; Raise $800 for toys for hospital in NE Raise funds for church bell tower in WI Raise funds for airplane crash memorial in KY Aren't these projects fundraisers?

Dec 20, 2014 - Joe

@Ian A Scout can raise funds for a project because let's face it, you can't do much for free. What makes the difference is where is that money going toward? You would not be able to raise money for the troop but you could raise money to help fund your project or donate it to a charity of some kind. One Scout I know, raised money to help build a school in Peru and also collected donations for the kids attending the school. Fund raising is not off limits but there are limitations.

Apr 21, 2015 - Ken

At what age should boys get their Eagle? In our troop we have parents pushing their kids to get life and they just turned 13. they want their boys to have their Eagle by 14 years of age. That's to young for that rank to me.

Apr 22, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@Ken - There's no minimum age requirement for earning Eagle. Whether a 13 year old Eagle seems too young to you, or me, or anyone else, doesn't matter a bit. By completing the stated requirements, he's earned the rank.

Jun 11, 2015 - Kelly Hart

@Ken - Be careful passing judgement on these boys that are young. As long as they are doing what is required then the achievement is well deserved. My oldest was told to put on the breaks as he was super excited and inspired when he first joined. After being told (several times) "you are too young and we are not an eagle factory", his charisma faded and he felt as if he was doing something wrong. Even now at almost 16 he is being overlooked again to be senior patrol leader because of his age and they spoke to him about it over 2 years ago. I thought he would be ok with it, but this has caused him to be even more disheartened about scouts. So be careful on the fingers you point and worry about your child! Scouts is an amazing experience and the requirements are not easy. So if your 13 year old is moving quickly and really embracing it -- go for it! He deserves it more than the 17 year olds that are completing 10 merit badges in a month and doing a less than adequate Eagle proje

Jul 25, 2015 - Leighton

We are attending an Eagle Scout ceremony for a friend in another troop should my son (First Class rank) wear his field uniform includin OA and merit badge sashes?

Jul 25, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@Leighton - An Eagle ceremony is a great opportunity for registered BSA members to wear their uniforms. Your son should wear his merit badge sash, but not his Order of the Arrow sash. He should only wear his OA sash if he is performing a function of the OA. Also, he should never wear both the merit badge sash and OA sash at the same time - it's one or the other draped over the right shoulder to left hip, and neither one ever hung from the belt.

Sep 23, 2015 - Ron

For those of you with eager Scouts wanting to get their Eagle at a young age, encourage and support them 100%. If someone in the Troop is slowing them down or discourage them, you need to talk to the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair. There is no age requirement for Eagle. The most important thing I stressed with the boys in my Troop was that they stayed active after earning their Eagle because they owed it to the younger boys in the Troop to pay back what the older boys did for them when they were new. One year, I took 64 Scouts to summer camp, and 9 of those were active Eagle Scouts. We had 100% participation for camp that year.. We had boys earn their Eagle at 13, and stay until they turned 18, when they registered as Assistant Scoutmasters. We never used the term "Eagle Out" in our Troop. They could "age out" but we expected, and got, our Eagles to stay active. They had a lot of input into the running the Troop and served as Instructors and Junior Assistant Scoutmasters.

I

Nov 15, 2015 - Brendan Simon

Hi my name is Brendan I was not able to do a whole lot in scouts because of where I lived and then I moved to Idaho and was able to do some things but am 18 now and would like to get my eagle what would I have to do?

Nov 16, 2015 - Scouter Paul

@Brendan - If you are past your 18th birthday, you are past the age of being a Boy Scout and earning your Eagle. An exception for the age requirement is possible for scouts with disabilities.

Nov 17, 2015 - Scouter Joe

@Brendan - As you may be passed the age to earn your Eagle Scout, you still have the opportunity to be a part of Venturing and earn the awards associated with that program like the Ranger Award and Venturing Summit Award.

You can be apart of a Venturing crew until your 21st birthday, giving you plenty of time to earn the awards and have fun in Scouting!

May 17, 2018 - Brian Morneault

Our house burned down and I lost all of my credentials for Eagle Scout. I reached out to my old Troop and they do not have any historical records. I am now 42 years of age and wanted to some direction to correct this. I am now serving as a Pack Committee Chair for my boys who are now involved with scouting. Any direction or assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Brian

May 17, 2018 - Scouter Paul

@Brian - 44 year old records can very well be a challenge to recover due to ancient tech, merging councils, changing staff, ... but here's two things to try:

1. Contact the National BSA Office - see FAQ page

2. Contact the council of the community where you earned your Eagle. Enter your zipcode at this page to find local council contact info.

If you just want to replace your patches, pins, medals, ... then just purchasing those things off eBay is an option, but they can be $$$$$.

Good Luck

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