Earning Merit Badges
You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 100 merit badges. Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible.
Steps to Earn a Merit Badge
1. Pick a Subject
Talk to your Scoutmaster about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you and pick one to earn. Your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a merit badge counselor from a list of counselors. These counselors have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you.
2. Scout Buddy System
You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be another Scout, your parents or guardian, a brother or sister or other relative, or a friend.
3. Call the Counselor
Get a signed merit badge application from your Scoutmaster. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor and tell him or her that you want to earn the merit badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected of you and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work that you have already started or possibly completed. Unless otherwise specified, work for a requirement can be started at any time.
4. Show Your Stuff
When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment to review the requirements you have completed. When you go, take along anything you have made to meet the requirements. If they are too big to move, take pictures or have an adult tell in writing what you have done.
5. Get the Badge
When the counselor is satisfied that you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to your Scoutmaster so that your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.
Requirements
You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You are expected to do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says "show or demonstrate," that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn't enough. The same thing holds true for such words as "make," "list," "in the field," and "collect," "identify," and "label."
Legend:
- Silver borders indicate Eagle-required merit badges
- Olive green borders indicate optional merit badges
Click any badge to see the official requirements on scouting.org
Eagle-Required Merit Badges
The following merit badges are required to earn the rank of Eagle Scout:
Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Nation
Citizenship in the World
Communication
Cooking
Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming
Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
Environmental Science OR Sustainability
Family Life
First Aid
Personal Fitness
Personal Management
Camping
Optional Merit Badges
Choose from over 100 optional merit badges to explore your interests:
American Business
American Cultures
American Heritage
American Labor
Animal Science
Animation
Archaeology
Archery
Architecture
Art
Astronomy
Athletics
Automotive Maintenance
Aviation
Backpacking
Basketry
Bird Study
Bugling
Canoeing
Chemistry
Chess
Cinematography
Coin Collecting
Collections
Composite Materials
Crime Prevention
Dentistry
Digital Technology
Disability Awareness
Dog Care
Drafting
Electricity
Electronics
Energy
Engineering
Entrepreneurship
Farm Mechanics
Fingerprinting
Fire Safety
Fishing
Fly Fishing
Forestry
Game Design
Gardening
Genealogy
Geocaching
Geology
Golf
Graphic Arts
Home Repairs
Horsemanship
Indian Lore
Insect Study
Inventions
Journalism
Kayaking
Landscape Architecture
Law
Leatherwork
Mammal Study
Medicine
Metalwork
Mining in Society
Model Design and Building
Motorboating
Music
Nature
Nuclear Science
Oceanography
Orienteering
Painting
Photography
Pioneering
Plant Science
Plumbing
Pottery
Programming
Public Health
Public Speaking
Pulp and Paper
Radio
Railroading
Reading
Reptile and Amphibian Study
Rifle Shooting
Robotics
Rowing
Safety
Salesmanship
Scholarship
Scouting Heritage
Scuba Diving
Sculpture
Search and Rescue
Shotgun Shooting
Signs, Signals, and Codes
Skating
Small Boat Sailing
Snow Sports
Soil and Water Conservation
Space Exploration
Sports
Stamp Collecting
Surveying
Textile
Theater
Traffic Safety
Truck Transportation
Veterinary Medicine
Water Sports
Weather
Welding
Whitewater
Wilderness Survival
Wood Carving
Woodwork
Need Help?
Contact your Scoutmaster to get started on earning merit badges. Many merit badge pamphlets are available in the troop library.