Star Rank
Merit badges begin — 6 required, including 4 Eagle-required.
Star is the first rank where merit badges take center stage. Six are required — at least four must be from the Eagle-required list. The 4-month active period as a First Class scout with a leadership position is firm; there are no shortcuts. Six hours of community service must also be completed. Star scouts are beginning to look like the leaders they will become.
Requirements are paraphrased for reference. Always verify current requirements at scouting.org or with your local council before a Board of Review.
What Does Star Rank Require?
- ✓Earn 6 merit badges — at least 4 must be Eagle-required
- ✓Serve actively in a position of responsibility for 4 months
- ✓Participate in 6 hours of community service
- ✓Demonstrate Scout spirit through daily living of the Scout Oath and Law
- ✓Complete a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review
This is a summary. The full requirement list is at scouting.org.
Free Star Rank Checklist
Printable sign-off sheet for all Starrequirements. Keep one in the scout's binder.
What Star Rank Actually Means
Star represents a shift from skill-building to character-building. The merit badge requirements introduce scouts to subjects outside the outdoor program — citizenship, cooking, swimming, personal fitness, and dozens of electives. The leadership position (SPL, ASPL, patrol leader, den chief, etc.) is where scouts learn to lead peers, not just follow adults.
What Comes After Star?
After Star, the requirements for Life are similar in structure but longer — 6 months instead of 4, and 11 merit badges total (7 Eagle-required). Start the next merit badges immediately and plan the leadership position before the Star BOR is even done.
Scoutmaster Conference — Star Rank
At Star, ask about what the scout has learned through their merit badge work — not just whether they completed requirements, but what genuinely interested them. Ask about the leadership position: what did they actually do, what was hard about it, how did they handle it when things didn't go as planned. Eagle is now a realistic goal for most Star scouts.
Open SM Conference & BOR Guide →