To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a youth must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. Although many options are available to demonstrate proficiency in these areas, a number of specific skills are required to advance through the ranks—Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. To advance, a Scouts BSA youth must pass specific tests that are organized by requirements and merit badges.
1. Be active in your troop, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.
2. As a Life Scout, demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your everday life and tell how you have done your duty to God. 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.
3. Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than the minimum you must earn for Star and Life), including the following:
- a.First Aid
- b.Citizenship in the Community
- c.Citizenship in the Nation
- d.Citizenship in Society
- e.Citizenship in the World
- f.Cooking
- g.Communications
- h.Personal Fitness
- i.Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
- j.Environmental Science OR Sustainability
- k.Personal Management
- l.Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
- m.Camping
- n.Family Life
You must choose only one merit badge listed in items i, j, and l. If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in items i, j, and l, choose one and list the remaining badges as elective merit badges to make your total 21.
4. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:
Scouts BSA troop. 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, or Outdoor Ethics guide.
Venturing crew. President, vice president, secretary, historian, den chief, treasurer, guide, quartermaster, chaplain aide, Outdoor Ethics guide.
Sea Scout Ship. Boatswain, boatswain’s mate, purser, yeoman, storekeeper, crew leader, media specialist, specialist, den chief, chaplain aide
Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in your school, religious organization, or club, or elsewhere in your 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 the BSA.) 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, to meet this requirement.
6. While a Life Scout, participate in a unit leader conference.
7. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.
In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application (download and save the application form to a permanent folder before filling out to prevent data loss) 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.