- Eagle-required merit badges (click through for a list of these badges)
- Positions of Responsibility (A list of eligible positions is here)
- Service Hours, and while ranked as a Life Scout, a Service Project (often referred to as an "Eagle Project")
9.0.1.0 The Eagle Scout Rank Application Process

Since 1912, the Eagle Scout rank has represented a milestone of accomplishment—perhaps without equal—that is recognized across the country and even the world. Those who have earned the Eagle Scout rank count it among their most treasured achievements. “Eagle Scout” is not just an award; it is a state of being. Those who earned it as youth continue to earn it every day as adults. That is why an Eagle Scout IS an Eagle Scout—not was.
Over the more than 100 years since the first Eagle, a formal application process has evolved that is important in maintaining the award’s well-recognized prestige. It is in the interest of the entire BSA, and in fact our nation, that all youth who join Scouts BSA in 2019 should have an opportunity to earn their Eagle Scout rank should they diligently and promptly complete all requirements. Click here to review the temporary transition rules for youth over 16 but not yet 18 years of age on February 1, 2019 interested in earning the Eagle Scout rank.
Topics 9.0.1.1 through 9.0.1.10, below, are intended to aid in reviewing and submitting the application and accompanying materials. It is hoped this will help Scouts, parents or guardians, or any adult leader or advancement administrator from the unit, district, or council to prevent delays in securing National Council approval and verification.
9.0.1.1 Complete All the Requirements
Confirm that the following requirements have been completed before the 18th birthday: active participation, Scout spirit, merit badges, position of responsibility, service project, and unit leader conference. Note that the unit leader (Scoutmaster) conference need not be the last item accomplished. The board of review may be conducted after the 18th birthday. For details, see “Boards of Review,” 8.0.0.0. A candidate must be registered through the time the requirements are being completed but need not be registered thereafter or when the Eagle Scout board of review is conducted.
9.0.1.2 Prepare the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook
The most current workbook must be used. It can be found at www.scouting.org/advancement. The workbook shows the project proposal was approved ahead of time, and then properly accepted by all parties when finished. Ideally, it will be a proud reminder of a significant accomplishment. See “Use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook,” 9.0.2.8.
9.0.1.3 Complete the Application
The Scout must complete the official Eagle Scout Rank Application . No other form or application method is permitted. The application can be found at www.scouting.org/advancement. It can also be printed and completed by hand. Careful review and thorough proofreading will help prevent delays. Remember, everything is verified by the local council; discrepancies and errors will lead to a form’s return. Unnecessary delays can be avoided by working with the unit advancement coordinator and obtaining the Scout’s personal history profile from the council office. Pay special attention to the following red-flag items.
- Dates: All applicable date fields will be verified by the council. Missing or incorrect dates will lead to unwanted delays and the application being returned for correction. The best way to avoid these delays is to use the date information from the Scout’s personal profile, which the unit advancement coordinator can obtain from the council office.
- Signatures: Applicant, unit leader, and unit committee chair. (Remaining signatures come later.) Note that signatures need not be dated before the Scout’s 18th birthday.
- References: Must list all six (five if not employed). If not affiliated with an organized religion, then the parent or guardian provides this reference. There are no restrictions on who the Scout may list as the two other references. The candidate may list anyone, including parents or guardians not previously listed, other relatives, Scout leaders including those from the candidate’s unit, or other Scouts and friends. There is no requirement that any of the references be 21 years of age or older.
- Merit badges: Dates as mentioned above; check the unit number in which each badge was earned. Attach the Application for Alternative Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges, if applicable. Scouts must not be required to attach blue cards with their application. If a discrepancy is discovered, the blue card may be requested to confirm the completion date.
- Position of responsibility: Must be one of those listed in Eagle Scout rank requirement 4, and must relate to the unit where the Scout was registered and active at the time service was rendered. For example, “SPL” would not be used by a crew member unless he or she was, or is, also registered in a troop. For a Scout who has transferred from a troop to a Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship, any qualifying position(s) held after the Life rank board of review in the troop shall count, and the six-month element of the requirement may be met through a combination of nonconcurrent positions served in the troop, crew, or ship. See also “Scouts BSA Advancement in Venturing and Sea Scouts,” 4.3.1.4.
- Attachments: Service project workbook, statement of ambitions and life purpose, and listing of positions, honors, and awards. Other attachments, such as unit records or individual history reports, shall not be required to process the application unless a discrepancy is discovered.
Once a Scout has been advanced in rank, advancement errors subsequently discovered must not be held against the Scout for any future advancement, even if the requirements were not properly completed. As an example, if after a Scout was advanced to Life rank it was discovered the Scout had not completed the required six months between Star and Life, that would not be cause to deny advancement to Eagle.
Scouts must submit the official Eagle Scout Rank Application, No. 512-728, found at www.scouting.org/advancement. No other form or application is permitted. Special worksheets or spreadsheets have been created in some councils that when filled out electronically produce a completed application. Because the official application changes from time to time, and because submitting out-of-date applications can cause confusion and delays, Scouts must not be required to use these tools. If they do use them, they still must complete and submit the official Eagle Scout Rank Application.
9.0.1.4 Obtain Required Signatures
If either of the approvals from the unit leader or the committee chair is withheld, a board of review must still be granted if requested by the Scout. For details, see “Initiating Eagle Scout Board of Review Under Disputed Circumstances,” 8.0.3.2.
9.0.1.5 Submit to Council Service Center
9.0.1.6 Council Verifies Application and Board of Review Scheduled
9.0.1.7 References Contacted
9.0.1.8 Application Returned to Council Service Center
9.0.1.9 Council Sends Application to National Advancement Team
9.0.1.10 National Advancement Program Team Returns Credentials
9.0.2.0 The Eagle Scout Service Project
9.0.2.1 What an Eagle Scout Candidate Should Expect
9.0.2.2 “While a Life Scout …”
9.0.2.3 “Plan, Develop …”
Planning and development require forethought, effort, and time—sometimes more than for execution. Thus, for the most part, they are considered part of the project and are detailed further once a proposal is approved. It is inappropriate to expect a Scout to invest the time required for detailed planning, only to face the prospect of rejection. See “Proposal Must Be Approved … Before You Start,” 9.0.2.7.
It is important not to categorically reject projects that, on the surface, may not seem to require enough planning and development. Consider, for example, a blood drive. Often rejected out of hand, this project, if done properly, could be acceptable. Few would question the beneficiary. Blood banks save lives—thousands of them: maybe yours, maybe that of a loved one. If the candidate proposes to use a set of “canned” instructions from the bank, implemented with no further planning, the planning effort would not meet the test.
On the other hand, there are councils in which Scouts and advancement committees have met with blood bank officials and worked out approaches that can comply. Typically these involve developing marketing plans and considering logistics. People successful in business know how important these skills are. Some blood banks will also set a minimum for blood collected as a measure of a successful plan. To provide another valuable lesson, they may require the candidate to keep at it until the goal has been met.
A good test of any project is to evaluate its complexity. In the case of a blood drive, for example, elements of challenge and complexity can be added so there is a clear demonstration of planning, development, and leadership.
9.0.2.4 “Give Leadership to Others …”
9.0.2.5 “Helpful to Any Religious Institution, Any School, or Your Community”
9.0.2.6 “Benefit an Organization Other Than the Boy Scouts of America”
9.0.2.7 “Proposal Must Be Approved … Before You Start”
- The project provides sufficient opportunity to meet the requirement.
- The project appears to be feasible.
- Safety issues will be addressed.
- Action steps for further detailed planning are included.
- The Scout is on the right track with a reasonable chance for a positive experience.
Space is provided in the workbook for the candidate to record comments made during discussions with the district or council volunteer going over the proposal. A thorough review should generate numerous suggestions, cautions, and perhaps concerns (see “What an Eagle Scout Candidate Should Expect,” 9.0.2.1). The Scout should be encouraged to write these down and take them seriously. When the reviewer is satisfied the five tests above can be met, then approval is granted.
It is important to be as considerate of an Eagle Scout candidate’s time as we expect him or her to be of ours. The Scout is probably just as busy. Every attempt should be made to complete the approval process in one meeting. Then the Scout should be challenged to work on planning action steps and to consider scheduling time with the assigned Eagle Scout service project coach for progress reports and further guidance (see “Eagle Scout Service Project Coach,”9.0.2.9). It is advisable that one of these meetings with the coach be held after the Scout has prepared the project plan and is ready to begin actual work on the project.
It is acceptable for the coach or the advancement administrator responsible for approval—if he or she becomes concerned the project will not meet the requirements or it will not be completed to the satisfaction of the benefiting organization—to contact the Scout and his or her parent or guardian, or unit leader and, as appropriate, a representative of the beneficiary. However, even though the project coach may provide guidance critical to success, final design issues are ultimately between the Scout and the beneficiary. For limitations on the coach’s role, see “Eagle Scout Service Project Coach,” 9.0.2.9.
From time to time Scouts will “jump the gun” and begin fundraising efforts—or even work on the project itself— before a proposal is approved. This is counter to the requirements and well covered in multiple documents, but still it happens. Normally then, a Scout should select a different project. If circumstances are compelling, however—indicating leniency can be extended and a lesson learned without significant detriment to fulfilling the project’s purpose—the Scout may be allowed to carry on and have the proposal or project approved after the fact.
Because it is virtually impossible to forecast every contingency, candidates must be allowed a level of flexibility in carrying out proposals and planning action steps. But essential elements of a proposal should not be changed without good reason. If this must occur, the Scout should consult the project coach or unit leader for advice. It is appropriate to strongly suggest the Scout share substantive changes with the project beneficiary, and also with those involved in preapprovals.
If it appears changes will cause results to fall below what is required, then cautionary advice is in order. Except under extreme circumstances, it is not acceptable for unit, or council or district, approval to be withdrawn. If the Scout decides to strike out on their own, that is his or her prerogative. At some point, responsibility must take over. The board of review decides whether planning was sufficient and if the requirement was met.
The project beneficiary can stop work on an approved project at any time. If enough has been done—such that the requirement’s intent has been met—then the project should still be given final approval. In extreme cases where changes could involve such issues as violations of law or BSA policy, or if they bring about unacceptable levels of risk, then district or council advancement administrators may bring this to the attention of the Scout, the Scout’s parent or guardian, the unit leader, and call for work to be suspended until compliance is achieved.
9.0.2.8 “Use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook“
Using the workbook, No. 512-927, helps candidates avoid pitfalls. If properly used, it very nearly assures success. It shows approvals have been secured, lists important limitations, suggests questions for those approving the project, and includes outlines for the proposal and the more detailed project plan that should come next.
The workbook should not, however, become a basis for rejecting candidates based on “technicalities” that have nothing to do with requirement intent. While the use of the workbook is required, this does not mean that every line or even every form must be completed. In most cases Scouts should fully complete the proposal and project report, and be strongly encouraged to complete the project plan. However, at times it may not be feasible or just not necessary for establishing that the requirement was met.
If it is clear the project was completed and approved of, and meets Eagle Scout requirement 5 as it is written, then the project should be considered. If it will be a hardship, or a poor use of time to fill in missing information or obtain a signature of a party who is unavailable or by some other means known to have approved it, then it is appropriate to accept it. There is something to be said for “object lessons,” but keep in mind that write-ups and signatures, though important, are simply supportive. Note that project report signatures need not be dated before the Scout’s 18th birthday. It is a project that we require. Boards of review should use common sense: Did the project meet the requirements or not? Was there planning and development? Was there leadership of others?
The workbook should not become a basis for rejecting candidates based on “technicalities” that have nothing to do with the intent of the requirement.
The requirement that Scouts use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook means they must use the official document as produced by the Boy Scouts of America. Although it is acceptable to copy and distribute it, and even to transfer it to a different software platform or operating system, it must maintain the same appearance. No council, district, unit, or individual has the authority to require additional forms, or to add or change requirements, or to make any additions, deletions, or changes in the text, outlines, graphics, or other layout or informational elements of the workbook.
9.0.2.9 Eagle Scout Service Project Coach
- Meet with a Scout after the proposal has been approved but before work begins on the project plan.
- Ask how the Scout will plan the project, then offer advice accordingly.
- Emphasize those elements of a plan that, if ignored, could stop work or create health and safety issues.
- Remind the Scout to share the project plan with the project beneficiary; the beneficiary should be fully aware of what will be done. Note that project plans for an Eagle Scout service project are between the Scout and the beneficiary. Coaches do not approve project plans.
- Be available to the Scout as a consultant to answer any questions about the planning process.
- Meet with the Scout to review the project plan; discuss its strengths, weaknesses, and risks; and suggest critical improvements.
- Discuss the project report with the Scout and offer advice on how to make a strong presentation at the Scout’s board of review.
Remember that any contact with the Scout must be conducted according to Youth Protection procedures.
9.0.2.10 Fundraising Issues
9.0.2.11 Routine Labor
9.0.2.12 Addressing Common Misconceptions
- No unit, district, council, or individual shall place any requirement or other standard on the number of hours spent on a project. The Boy Scouts of America collects data about time worked on Eagle Scout service projects only because it points to a level of excellence in achieving the BSA aim related to citizenship.
- Eagle Scout service projects are individual matters. No more than one candidate may receive credit for working on the same project.
- There is no requirement a project must have lasting value.
- Any plans completed after the project proposal has been approved by the council or district are between the Scout and the beneficiary. The role of beneficiaries in reviewing plans is explained in the service project beneficiary information sheet, “Navigating the Eagle Scout Service Project,” that is posted on the Advancement Resources page at www.scouting.org/advancement, and is included in the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook.
9.0.2.13 Evaluating the Project After Completion
If it is thought a unit board may not provide a fair hearing, a board of review under disputed circumstances may be initiated. (See “Initiating Eagle Scout Board of Review Under Disputed Circumstances,” 8.0.3.2.) The risk in this approach—that the board may decide negatively—should be discussed with the Scout. But at the same time, the fact the Scout is so convinced may point to a need to reevaluate what was done. Perhaps, despite the lack of final approval, the project did indeed meet the requirement.
From time to time, beneficiaries unfamiliar with the Eagle Scout service project process may decline to approve a completed project even though it was helpful and had a positive impact. For example, there have been situations in which beneficiaries sought to require last-minute additions before signing off, and others where new management had different ideas about what should have been done. In these cases it is appropriate for the Scout to move forward without the final approval, and for the board of review to understand that the requirement has been met, regardless.
At the board of review, if an approved proposal and any subsequent effort represents planning and development that was adequate to the project, and the project was well led and carried out to the satisfaction of the unit leader and project beneficiary, only in a very rare case would rejection result. It would have to be clearly established that Eagle Scout requirement 5—as written— was not completed. Under no circumstances shall project approval at any point in the process be withheld for reasons that have nothing to do with the project.
At the board of review, if an approved proposal and any subsequent effort represents planning and development that was adequate to the project, and the project was well led and carried out to the satisfaction of the unit leader and project beneficiary, only in a very rare case would rejection result.
9.0.2.14 Risk Management and Eagle Scout Service Projects
Unit leadership should be aware of project plans and schedules. The health and safety of those working on Eagle projects must be integrated into project execution. Since an Eagle Scout service project is a unit activity, unit adult leadership has the same responsibility to assure safety in conducting a project as with any other unit activity. The unit leader or unit committee should reject proposals for inherently unsafe projects. The candidate should plan for safe execution, but it must be understood that minors cannot and must not be held responsible for safety concerns. As with any Scouting activity, the Guide to Safe Scouting applies. The “Sweet 16 of BSA Safety” must also be consulted as an appropriate planning tool. It can be found online at “Scouting Safely,” www.scouting.org/health-andsafety/gss/sweet16.
See “Service Projects,” 4.2.3.3, for general guidelines on service project safety requirements and for information about related documents from the national Health and Safety Committee.
9.0.2.15 Insurance and Eagle Scout Service Projects
9.0.2.16 Eagle Scout Service Projects and Messengers of Peace
- The personal dimension: harmony, justice, and equality
- The community dimension: peace as opposed to hostility or violent conflict
- Relationships between humankind and its environment: security, social and economic welfare, and relationship with the environment
For more information about Messengers of Peace, please visit www.scouting.org/messengersofpeace.
9.0.3.0 About Eagle Palms
9.0.4.0 Time Extensions
A Scout who foresees that, due to no fault or choice of their own, it will not be possible to complete the Eagle Scout rank requirements before age 18, may apply for a limited time extension. See “Process for Submitting and Evaluating an Extension Request,” 9.0.4.1, item No. 1. These are rarely granted and reserved only for work on Eagle. When a time extension is requested, the Scout should continue working on the requirements as processing occurs. In most cases, for a request to be considered the following five tests must be met.
- The member joined or rejoined—or became active again after a period of inactivity—in time to complete all requirements before turning 18. That is, the time remaining between joining, or rejoining, and when the Scout turns 18 is more than the total of the active-time requirements for the ranks left to achieve.
The Boy Scouts of America will welcome Scouts back after periods of inactivity. However, all time-oriented requirements must still be met. Scouts reactivating too late to complete time-related requirements will not be granted extensions, and nor will those who remained active but simply did not focus on advancement.
- A circumstance came to exist that now precludes completion before the deadline. Examples might include a health-related incident requiring a hospital stay, a disabling injury, a significant employment conflict, a family relocation, a family emergency, a natural disaster, severe unseasonable weather that could not have been anticipated, or unforeseen actions of others affecting the youth’s ability to complete the requirements. It is extremely unlikely an extension will be granted if resolution of the circumstance—such as recovery from an injury, for example—still allows enough time for an adequate service project, or for completing the position of responsibility, active participation, or merit badge requirements if they have not already been met.
- The circumstance is totally beyond the control of the youth member. Injuries, unanticipated family incidents, or various mistakes or omissions by adults, for example, could be legitimate causes. The Boy Scouts of America assumes anyone working on Scouts BSA ranks has a Scouts BSA Handbook and has read the requirements. Despite this, misinformation from unit leadership is often cited as grounds for extensions. These cases will be considered, but they should be very rare and would point to a need for basic training and assistance.
- The circumstance is severe and not the norm of the Scout’s life. In most cases, Scouts are expected to overcome life’s ordinary trials. Cause for an extension normally requires an extraordinary circumstance uncommon to the youth. For example, known circumstances such as moderate learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD that the Scout has faced over many years and has coped with in the past, should not suddenly become an issue shortly before the Scout’s 18th birthday.
It is important for council and district advancement committees to keep unit leadership informed of this so it does not become a surprise. An exception might be considered for Scouts with significant disabilities that do not meet the level of severity or permanence required for registration beyond the age of eligibility, but are such that they essentially preclude advancement within the timeframe allowed.
Scouts with permanent and severe disabilities such as those described in section 10, “Advancement for Members With Special Needs,” have the opportunity to be registered beyond the age of eligibility. (See “Registering Qualified Members Beyond Age of Eligibility,” 10.1.0.0.) They do not need to request an extension.
The circumstance could not have been planned for or anticipated. If it is health-related, it should have been unforeseen and of recent onset, or a complication or intensification of an ongoing issue.
The list above is meant to give volunteers an idea of how requests for time extensions are evaluated. They are not precise tests. Each case is considered individually.
9.0.4.1 Process for Submitting and Evaluating an Extension Request
If a Sea Scout or Venturer foresees that, due to no fault or choice of his or her own, he or she will be unable to complete the Quartermaster rank or Summit Award requirements before age 21, the same tests, process, and form described here in topics 9.0.4.0 and 9.0.4.1 apply, and must be followed to request an extension of time to earn the Quartermaster rank or Summit Award.
See “Request for Extension of Time to Earn Eagle Scout Rank,” 11.2.0.0 , in the appendix, and check one of the boxes at the top of the page indicating the Quartermaster rank or the Summit Award is involved.
The local council does not grant or deny time extensions. These are granted only through the National Advancement Program Team after consideration of local council recommendations.
- The Scout, the Scout’s parent or guardian, the unit leader, or a member of the unit committee may file the request. It is preferred that the request be made in the form of a letter that is signed and dated by the author. It is sent to the council service center to the attention of the council’s designated appeals coordinator. It is preferred that requests be submitted before the 18th birthday or, if not, the reason for the delay is stated. The request must indicate the number of months after the 18th birthday that will be necessary to complete the requirements. The Request for Extension form (Appendix 11.2.0.0
) is prepared by the council after it has completed their review; see item No. 5.
See “Filing and Processing an Appeal,”8.0.4.1, for information about the designated appeals coordinator.
- The request must document the circumstances. For example, if the cause is health related, then a statement from a health professional must be provided. If the cause relates to adult error or misinformation, then the adult(s) involved, if available, must provide a statement. It is not sufficient simply to provide a summary of occurrences without the support of information from those with personal knowledge of what happened.
- The council advancement chair and staff advisor select at least two council advancement committee members to research the request and prepare a summary report for the council advancement committee. The council-designated appeals coordinator should brief them on the procedures outlined herein. They should obtain statements from those with knowledge of the case, or interview them and then prepare written summaries. The candidate must be included in the process in order to ascertain circumstances were beyond the Scout’s control, as must any adults available who committed errors or provided misinformation. In some cases, it is a good idea to hold face-to-face interviews—for example, those where the lack of a Scouts BSA Handbook or ignorance of requirements is cited.
- The council advancement committee must review the evidence and prepare a position statement. This is shared with the Scout, the Scout’s parent or guardian, the unit leader, and the unit committee chair. The council, however, does not grant or deny the extension. Only the National Advancement Program Team has that authority.
The Scout then decides whether to pursue the extension with the National Advancement Program Team. If affirmative the Request for Extension of Time to Earn Eagle Scout Rank form (see 11.2.0.0
) must be fully completed by the council advancement committee or designee and then signed by the Scout executive. It must provide a recommendation for acceptance or denial, and indicate the length of the desired extension. A packet with the supporting documentation, the position statement, and the extension request form is then forwarded to the National Advancement Program Team. The position statement must be more than a cover letter; it must address the evidence gathered and include an explanation of how the requested amount of time was calculated. All requests, letters, and position statements must include the date and signature of the author. A decision can usually be delivered within two to four weeks. Packets without complete information will be returned to the council without further review.