To reach the rank of Eagle Scout, you need to earn at least 21 merit badges. That includes 14 specific Eagle-required badges and 7 elective badges.
Earning 21 badges takes planning and steady progress. If you wait until your last year before turning 18, you can get trapped by badges that require 3 months of daily tracking. Planning ahead helps you earn your badges with confidence and zero stress.
The 21 Merit Badges You Need for Eagle
Every Eagle Scout earns 14 Eagle-required badges and 7 electives across their Scouting journey:
| Rank You Are Working On | Eagle-Required Badges Needed | Electives Needed | Total Badges for This Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Rank | 4 Eagle-Required | 2 Electives | 6 Total Badges |
| Life Rank | 3 more (7 total) | 2 more (4 total) | 11 Total Badges |
| Eagle Scout | 7 more (14 total) | 3 more (7 total) | 21 Total Badges |
Star Rank
- Eagle-Required Badges Needed
- 4 Eagle-Required
- Electives Needed
- 2 Electives
- Total Badges for This Rank
- 6 Total Badges
Life Rank
- Eagle-Required Badges Needed
- 3 more (7 total)
- Electives Needed
- 2 more (4 total)
- Total Badges for This Rank
- 11 Total Badges
Eagle Scout
- Eagle-Required Badges Needed
- 7 more (14 total)
- Electives Needed
- 3 more (7 total)
- Total Badges for This Rank
- 21 Total Badges
The 14 Eagle-Required Badges
| Badge | What You Learn | Where Most Scouts Earn It | What Makes It Challenging |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Aid | Handling serious trauma & medical emergencies | Troop meetings or clinics | Hands-on CPR, bandaging, and splinting demonstrations. |
| Citizenship in Society | Inclusion, ethical leadership, and civil dialogue | Small-group discussions | Guided reflection, case studies, and group conversations. |
| Citizenship in the Community | Local town government and civic service | On your own in your hometown | Attending a real city or town council meeting. |
| Citizenship in the Nation | Federal government, Constitution, and history | Civics class or summer camp | Visiting a federal facility or historic landmark. |
| Citizenship in the World | International relations and global trade | Merit badge college or clinic | Learning about international treaties and world organizations. |
| Communication | Public speaking, interviews, and writing | Troop meetings or speech class | Giving a 5-minute speech and running a court of honor. |
| Cooking | Nutrition, camp stoves, Dutch ovens, home meals | Troop campouts + home kitchen | Cooking 10 meals across camp, trail, and home. |
| Camping | Wilderness camping and Leave No Trace | Troop campouts over 2+ years | Logging 20 days and 20 nights in tents. |
| Personal Fitness (Time-Lock) | Fitness routines, health, and conditioning | On your own with a counselor | 12-week workout program (3 workouts per week). |
| Family Life (Time-Lock) | Family duties, chores, and home projects | At home with your family | 90-day daily chore log and 2 family meetings. |
| Personal Management (Time-Lock) | Money, budgets, finance, and time management | On your own with a counselor | 13-week budget and expense tracking log. |
| Choice 1: Emerg. Prep OR Lifesaving | Disaster response or water rescue | Troop clinic or Summer Camp | Lifesaving requires strong swimming stamina. |
| Choice 2: Env. Science OR Sustainability | Ecology experiments or green living | Summer Camp or home research | Env Science requires outdoor nature study plots. |
| Choice 3: Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling | Outdoor travel and physical endurance | Summer camp or weekend trips | Hiking includes a 20-mile hike; Cycling includes 50 miles. |
First Aid
- What You Learn
- Handling serious trauma & medical emergencies
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Troop meetings or clinics
- What Makes It Challenging
- Hands-on CPR, bandaging, and splinting demonstrations.
Citizenship in Society
- What You Learn
- Inclusion, ethical leadership, and civil dialogue
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Small-group discussions
- What Makes It Challenging
- Guided reflection, case studies, and group conversations.
Citizenship in the Community
- What You Learn
- Local town government and civic service
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- On your own in your hometown
- What Makes It Challenging
- Attending a real city or town council meeting.
Citizenship in the Nation
- What You Learn
- Federal government, Constitution, and history
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Civics class or summer camp
- What Makes It Challenging
- Visiting a federal facility or historic landmark.
Citizenship in the World
- What You Learn
- International relations and global trade
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Merit badge college or clinic
- What Makes It Challenging
- Learning about international treaties and world organizations.
Communication
- What You Learn
- Public speaking, interviews, and writing
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Troop meetings or speech class
- What Makes It Challenging
- Giving a 5-minute speech and running a court of honor.
Cooking
- What You Learn
- Nutrition, camp stoves, Dutch ovens, home meals
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Troop campouts + home kitchen
- What Makes It Challenging
- Cooking 10 meals across camp, trail, and home.
Camping
- What You Learn
- Wilderness camping and Leave No Trace
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Troop campouts over 2+ years
- What Makes It Challenging
- Logging 20 days and 20 nights in tents.
Personal Fitness (Time-Lock)
- What You Learn
- Fitness routines, health, and conditioning
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- On your own with a counselor
- What Makes It Challenging
- 12-week workout program (3 workouts per week).
Family Life (Time-Lock)
- What You Learn
- Family duties, chores, and home projects
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- At home with your family
- What Makes It Challenging
- 90-day daily chore log and 2 family meetings.
Personal Management (Time-Lock)
- What You Learn
- Money, budgets, finance, and time management
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- On your own with a counselor
- What Makes It Challenging
- 13-week budget and expense tracking log.
Choice 1: Emerg. Prep OR Lifesaving
- What You Learn
- Disaster response or water rescue
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Troop clinic or Summer Camp
- What Makes It Challenging
- Lifesaving requires strong swimming stamina.
Choice 2: Env. Science OR Sustainability
- What You Learn
- Ecology experiments or green living
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Summer Camp or home research
- What Makes It Challenging
- Env Science requires outdoor nature study plots.
Choice 3: Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
- What You Learn
- Outdoor travel and physical endurance
- Where Most Scouts Earn It
- Summer camp or weekend trips
- What Makes It Challenging
- Hiking includes a 20-mile hike; Cycling includes 50 miles.
The 4 Badges That Take 90+ Days
These four “time-lock” badges cannot be finished in a single weekend or summer camp week. Their requirements mandate months of continuous tracking:
| Badge | How Long It Takes | What You Must Track | When to Start | Best Advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Management | 13 weeks (Req 2) | Write down every dollar you make and spend | As soon as you reach Star rank | Use a simple notebook or spreadsheet. Log allowances, gifts, and chores every weekend. |
| Family Life | 90 days (Req 3) | Do your chores daily and lead 2 family meetings | Star rank (at the same time as Personal Mgmt) | Put a chore chart on the fridge. Have a parent initial it weekly so you don’t forget. |
| Personal Fitness | 12 weeks (Reqs 7 & 8) | Baseline test, 3 workouts/week, final test | Life rank (or during a school sports season) | Match this with your track, soccer, cross country, or swim season to make logging easy. |
| Camping | 20 days & nights (Req 9) | 1 summer camp (max 6 nights) + 14 weekend nights | Start counting from your first campout! | Keep a camp logbook from day one with dates, locations, and weather. |
Personal Management
- How Long It Takes
- 13 weeks (Req 2)
- What You Must Track
- Write down every dollar you make and spend
- When to Start
- As soon as you reach Star rank
- Best Advice
- Use a simple notebook or spreadsheet. Log allowances, gifts, and chores every weekend.
Family Life
- How Long It Takes
- 90 days (Req 3)
- What You Must Track
- Do your chores daily and lead 2 family meetings
- When to Start
- Star rank (at the same time as Personal Mgmt)
- Best Advice
- Put a chore chart on the fridge. Have a parent initial it weekly so you don’t forget.
Personal Fitness
- How Long It Takes
- 12 weeks (Reqs 7 & 8)
- What You Must Track
- Baseline test, 3 workouts/week, final test
- When to Start
- Life rank (or during a school sports season)
- Best Advice
- Match this with your track, soccer, cross country, or swim season to make logging easy.
Camping
- How Long It Takes
- 20 days & nights (Req 9)
- What You Must Track
- 1 summer camp (max 6 nights) + 14 weekend nights
- When to Start
- Start counting from your first campout!
- Best Advice
- Keep a camp logbook from day one with dates, locations, and weather.
How to Pick Your Choice Badges
For the three option groups, pick the badge that fits your skills, interests, and schedule:
| Choice Group | Option A | Option B | Option C | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Emergency & Rescue | Emergency Preparedness (Disaster planning, tabletop scenarios) | Lifesaving (Water rescues, 10-lb brick dive, conscious/unconscious tows) | — | Take Lifesaving if you are a strong swimmer at summer camp; otherwise take Emergency Preparedness. |
| Group 2: Environment & Science | Environmental Science (Nature plots, ecology experiments, pollution studies) | Sustainability (Home energy audits, waste reduction, community design) | — | Take Environmental Science at summer camp; take Sustainability if you prefer working at home. |
| Group 3: Outdoor Travel | Swimming (Finished in 1 week at summer camp aquatics dock) | Hiking (One 5-mile, three 10-mile, one 15-mile, one 20-mile hike) | Cycling (Two 10-mile, two 15-mile, two 25-mile, one 50-mile bike ride) | Swimming is by far the fastest. Hiking and Cycling require great endurance and multiple full days on trails. |
Group 1: Emergency & Rescue
- Option A
- Emergency Preparedness (Disaster planning, tabletop scenarios)
- Option B
- Lifesaving (Water rescues, 10-lb brick dive, conscious/unconscious tows)
- Option C
- —
- Recommendation
- Take Lifesaving if you are a strong swimmer at summer camp; otherwise take Emergency Preparedness.
Group 2: Environment & Science
- Option A
- Environmental Science (Nature plots, ecology experiments, pollution studies)
- Option B
- Sustainability (Home energy audits, waste reduction, community design)
- Option C
- —
- Recommendation
- Take Environmental Science at summer camp; take Sustainability if you prefer working at home.
Group 3: Outdoor Travel
- Option A
- Swimming (Finished in 1 week at summer camp aquatics dock)
- Option B
- Hiking (One 5-mile, three 10-mile, one 15-mile, one 20-mile hike)
- Option C
- Cycling (Two 10-mile, two 15-mile, two 25-mile, one 50-mile bike ride)
- Recommendation
- Swimming is by far the fastest. Hiking and Cycling require great endurance and multiple full days on trails.
When to Earn Each Badge (Rank by Rank)
| Your Rank Goal | Eagle Badges to Focus On | Elective Badges to Try | What to Accomplish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scout to First Class (Ages 11–12) | Learn First Aid skills; earn Swimming at summer camp | 1–2 fun electives (e.g. Fishing, Wood Carving) | Master basic outdoor, knot, and camp skills. |
| First Class to Star (Ages 12–14) | First Aid, Citizenship in Society, Camping, Env. Science | 2 electives you enjoy (6 total) | Serve 4 months in a troop leadership role; do 6 hours of service. |
| Star to Life (Ages 14–15) | Citizenship in Community, Citizenship in Nation, Emerg. Prep/Lifesaving | 2 electives (11 total) | Start your 90-day logs for Personal Mgmt, Family Life, or Fitness! |
| Life to Eagle (Ages 15–17) | Finish the 90-day logs, Communication, Cooking, Citizenship in World | 3 electives (21 total) | Complete your Eagle Project and prepare for your Board of Review. |
Scout to First Class (Ages 11–12)
- Eagle Badges to Focus On
- Learn First Aid skills; earn Swimming at summer camp
- Elective Badges to Try
- 1–2 fun electives (e.g. Fishing, Wood Carving)
- What to Accomplish
- Master basic outdoor, knot, and camp skills.
First Class to Star (Ages 12–14)
- Eagle Badges to Focus On
- First Aid, Citizenship in Society, Camping, Env. Science
- Elective Badges to Try
- 2 electives you enjoy (6 total)
- What to Accomplish
- Serve 4 months in a troop leadership role; do 6 hours of service.
Star to Life (Ages 14–15)
- Eagle Badges to Focus On
- Citizenship in Community, Citizenship in Nation, Emerg. Prep/Lifesaving
- Elective Badges to Try
- 2 electives (11 total)
- What to Accomplish
- Start your 90-day logs for Personal Mgmt, Family Life, or Fitness!
Life to Eagle (Ages 15–17)
- Eagle Badges to Focus On
- Finish the 90-day logs, Communication, Cooking, Citizenship in World
- Elective Badges to Try
- 3 electives (21 total)
- What to Accomplish
- Complete your Eagle Project and prepare for your Board of Review.
How to Start and Finish a Merit Badge (The Blue Card)
The Blue Card (or its digital Scoutbook record) is your official proof that you earned a badge. Follow these 5 simple steps:
| Step | What You Do | Who Is Involved | Helpful Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Talk to Your Scoutmaster | Ask for a Blue Card and counselor recommendation | You & Scoutmaster | Make sure you have your Scoutmaster’s approval before contacting a counselor. |
| Step 2: Contact the Counselor | Reach out with your buddy to introduce yourself | You, Buddy & Counselor | Confirm you are using the newest badge requirements. |
| Step 3: Complete Requirements | Do the activities, demonstrations, and logs | You & Buddy | Keep neat, dated notes so you can easily show your work. |
| Step 4: Review with Counselor | Show your completed work and get signed off | You, Buddy & Counselor | Make sure the counselor signs all sections of the card. |
| Step 5: Turn in Your Card | Give the signed card to your troop advancement chair | You & Advancement Chair | Keep your signed “Applicant” stub safe in your binder forever! |
Step 1: Talk to Your Scoutmaster
- What You Do
- Ask for a Blue Card and counselor recommendation
- Who Is Involved
- You & Scoutmaster
- Helpful Tip
- Make sure you have your Scoutmaster’s approval before contacting a counselor.
Step 2: Contact the Counselor
- What You Do
- Reach out with your buddy to introduce yourself
- Who Is Involved
- You, Buddy & Counselor
- Helpful Tip
- Confirm you are using the newest badge requirements.
Step 3: Complete Requirements
- What You Do
- Do the activities, demonstrations, and logs
- Who Is Involved
- You & Buddy
- Helpful Tip
- Keep neat, dated notes so you can easily show your work.
Step 4: Review with Counselor
- What You Do
- Show your completed work and get signed off
- Who Is Involved
- You, Buddy & Counselor
- Helpful Tip
- Make sure the counselor signs all sections of the card.
Step 5: Turn in Your Card
- What You Do
- Give the signed card to your troop advancement chair
- Who Is Involved
- You & Advancement Chair
- Helpful Tip
- Keep your signed “Applicant” stub safe in your binder forever!
Sample Merit Badge Tracker
Keep a chart like this in your binder to stay on track:
| Merit Badge | Eagle-Required? | Counselor Name | Date Started | Current Progress | Target Finish Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Aid | Yes | Mr. Davis | Oct 12 | Done with rank first aid | Nov 30 | Completed |
| Swimming | Yes | Camp Aquatics Dir | Jul 15 | Passed Swimmer Test | Jul 20 | Completed |
| Camping | Yes | Mrs. Jenkins | Jan 10 | 16 of 20 nights logged | Oct 15 | In Progress (80%) |
| Personal Mgmt | Yes | Mr. Vance | Feb 01 | Week 4 of 13 budget log | May 30 | In Progress (30%) |
| Family Life | Yes | Dr. Walker | Feb 01 | Day 25 of 90 chore log | Jun 01 | In Progress (28%) |
| Personal Fitness | Yes | Coach Taylor | Mar 01 | Baseline test finished | Jun 15 | In Progress (10%) |
| Robotics | No (Elective) | Ms. Adams | Sep 05 | Built robot chassis | Dec 12 | Completed |
First Aid
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Mr. Davis
- Date Started
- Oct 12
- Current Progress
- Done with rank first aid
- Target Finish Date
- Nov 30
- Status
- Completed
Swimming
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Camp Aquatics Dir
- Date Started
- Jul 15
- Current Progress
- Passed Swimmer Test
- Target Finish Date
- Jul 20
- Status
- Completed
Camping
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Mrs. Jenkins
- Date Started
- Jan 10
- Current Progress
- 16 of 20 nights logged
- Target Finish Date
- Oct 15
- Status
- In Progress (80%)
Personal Mgmt
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Mr. Vance
- Date Started
- Feb 01
- Current Progress
- Week 4 of 13 budget log
- Target Finish Date
- May 30
- Status
- In Progress (30%)
Family Life
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Dr. Walker
- Date Started
- Feb 01
- Current Progress
- Day 25 of 90 chore log
- Target Finish Date
- Jun 01
- Status
- In Progress (28%)
Personal Fitness
- Eagle-Required?
- Yes
- Counselor Name
- Coach Taylor
- Date Started
- Mar 01
- Current Progress
- Baseline test finished
- Target Finish Date
- Jun 15
- Status
- In Progress (10%)
Robotics
- Eagle-Required?
- No (Elective)
- Counselor Name
- Ms. Adams
- Date Started
- Sep 05
- Current Progress
- Built robot chassis
- Target Finish Date
- Dec 12
- Status
- Completed
Eagle Merit Badge Checklist
Merit Badge Game Plan Checklist
Use these steps to stay ahead on your trail to Eagle
- Check your advancement record in Scoutbook with your Troop Advancement Chair.
- Count your total camping nights to see how close you are to 20 nights for Camping merit badge.
- Choose which option badges you want to take (Lifesaving vs Emerg Prep; Env Sci vs Sustainability; Swimming vs Hiking vs Cycling).
- Get a signed Blue Card from your Scoutmaster before starting any new badge.
- Start your 13-week budget log for Personal Management as a Star Scout.
- Put up your 90-day chore chart for Family Life.
- Do your baseline fitness test with your Personal Fitness counselor.
- Sign up for summer camp badges that need camp gear (like swimming, boating, shooting sports).
- Put your signed Blue Card stubs in a plastic page protector in your binder.