A total of 21 merit badges (10 more than required for the Life rank) must be earned for the Eagle Scout rank, including these 14 merit badges: (a) First Aid, (b) Citizenship in the Community, (c) Citizenship in the Nation, (d) Citizenship in Society, (e) Citizenship in the World, (f) Communication, (g) Cooking, (h) Personal Fitness, (i) Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, (j) Environmental Science OR Sustainability, (k) Personal Management, (l) Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, (m) Camping, and (n) Family Life.
Scouts must choose only one of the merit badges listed in categories I, j, and l. Any additional merit badge(s) earned in those categories may be counted as one of the seven optional merit badges used to make a total of 21.
Refer to the latest Scouts BSA Requirements book for merit badge requirements updates.
