Star Rank

Star is the first of the three leadership ranks. It asks for time and responsibility rather than new skills: four months active in the troop as a First Class Scout, four months in a position of responsibility such as patrol leader, scribe or quartermaster, six hours of service, and six merit badges, four of them from the list required for Eagle.

The positions that count are listed in requirement 5; assistant patrol leader is not one of them. A leadership project approved by the Scoutmaster can stand in for the position at Star and Life, but not at Eagle.

The troop’s positions and what each one does are on Leadership Roles. Merit badges are on Merit Badges, and the adults who counsel them on Merit Badge Counselors.

Star Rank Requirements

• 1. Be active in your troop for at least four months as a First Class Scout.
• 2. As a First Class 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 six merit badges, including any four from the required list for Eagle. 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 First Class Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster.
• 5. While a First Class Scout, serve actively in your troop for four months in one or more of the following 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.
• 6a. With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide.²
• 6b. View the Personal Safety Awareness videos (with your parent or guardian’s permission).²
• 7. While a First Class Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
• 8. Successfully complete your board of review for the Star rank.³

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

² If your family does not have internet access at home AND you do not have ready internet access at school or another public place or via a mobile device, the Personal Safety Awareness videos portion of this requirement may be waived by your Scoutmaster in consultation with your parent or guardian.

³ 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.”