Life Rank

Life asks for the same things as Star, for longer: six months active as a Star Scout, six months in a position of responsibility, five more merit badges (11 in all, seven of them from the Eagle-required list), and six more hours of service, at least three of them conservation work.

Life also adds teaching. A Life candidate uses the Teaching EDGE method to teach another Scout, preferably a younger one, one set of skills from the lower ranks (first aid, cooking and tools, or navigation) or from an Eagle-required merit badge, until that Scout can pass them.

After Life comes Eagle: six more months of leadership, ten more merit badges and the Eagle Scout service project.

Life Rank Requirements

• 1. Be active in your troop for at least six months as a Star Scout.
• 2. As a Star Scout, demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life.
• 3. Earn five more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all) including any number more from the list for Eagle so that you have a total of seven from the required list of Eagle in that total number of 11 merit badges. You may choose any of the merit badges on the required list for Eagle to fulfill this requirement. See Eagle rank requirement 3 for this list.
• 4. While a Star Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster. At least three hours of this service must be conservation-related.
• 5. While a Star Scout, serve actively in your troop for six months in one or more of the following troop positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-approved leadership project to help the troop).
  • Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, webmaster, or outdoor ethics guide.¹
  • Venturing crew. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, den chief, historian, guide, quartermaster, chaplain aide, or outdoor ethics guide.
  • Sea Scout ship. Boatswain, boatswain's mate, purser, yeoman, storekeeper, crew leader, media specialist, specialist, den chief, or chaplain aide.
  • Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in your school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in your community.
• 6. While a Star Scout, use the Teaching EDGE method to teach another Scout (preferably younger than you) the skills from ONE of the following choices, so that the Scout is prepared to pass those requirements to their Scoutmaster’s satisfaction.
  • a. Tenderfoot 4a and 4b (first aid)
  • b. Second Class 2b, 2c, and 2d (cooking/tools)
  • c. Second Class 3a and 3d (navigation)
  • d. First Class 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d (tools)
  • e. First Class 4a and 4b (navigation)
  • f. Second Class 6a and 6b (first aid)
  • g. First Class 7a and 7b (first aid)
  • h. Three requirements from one of the required Eagle merit badges, as approved by your Scoutmaster
• 7. While a Star Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
• 8. Successfully complete your board of review for the Life rank.²

¹ Assistant patrol leader is not an approved position of responsibility for the Star, Life, or Eagle rank.

² If the board of review does not approve the Scout’s advancement, the decision may be appealed in accordance with Guide to Advancement topic 8.0.4.0.

Requirement text as published by Scouting America in Scouts BSA Requirements (2025 edition), word for word. No council, district, unit or individual may add to or take away from these requirements.

For Venturers working on Scouts BSA requirements, replace “troop” with “crew” and “Scoutmaster” with “Crew Advisor.” For Sea Scouts working on Scouts BSA requirements, replace “troop” with “ship” and “Scoutmaster” with “Skipper.”