Updated Merit Badge Requirements.
Attention Scouts, unit leaders, and merit badge counselors.
At the start of every year, BSA National publishes updates to the requirements for selected merit badges. The update of the requirements for a merit badge will include one or more of the following types of changes: 1) modification of a previously established requirement, 2) addition of a new requirement, 3) deletion of a previously established requirement, and/or 4) reordering of previously established requirements.
In 2023, BSA National has updated the requirements for the following thirty (30) merit badges, including eight (8) merit badges that count towards the requirements for the Eagle rank [highlighted]. The updated requirements went into effect on 1/1/2023.
American Business Geology
Animal Science Golf
Archery Hiking
Architecture Inventing
Composite Materials Mammal Study
Cooking Nature
Cycling Personal Fitness
Digital Technology Plant Science
Disabilities Awareness Programming
Emergency Preparedness Reptile and Amphibian Study
Environmental Science Salesmanship
Family Life Small Boat Sailing
Farm Mechanics Snow Sports
Game Design Sports
Genealogy Swimming
Any Scout starting any of these eighteen merit badges in 2023 must meet the new requirements. Anyone can find the most current requirements for every merit badge, including the merit badges with updated requirements, on this site and on the page “The Merit Badge Program”, then finding the “Requirements” section and clicking on the link.
Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook.
Attention Scouts and unit leaders.
The most current version of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook is dated December 2022. Eagle Scout candidates must use the most current version of the workbook published by BSA National available at the time they begin development of their proposal. Thus, all Eagle Scout candidates starting the proposal in 2023 must use the version of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook dated December 2022. Contact your District Advancement Committee if there are any questions.
Anyone can find the current version of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, dated December 2022 on this site and on the page “Information and Resources for Life to Eagle Advancement”, then finding the “Workbook and Application” section and clicking on the link.
Merit Badge – Citizenship in Society.
The goal of the Citizenship in Society merit badge is to help educate Scouts on what diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are; why they are important; and how to lead ethically and inclusively to contribute to the cultivation of an environment of belonging for all Scouts. This merit badge is one of the educational and awareness initiatives the BSA is implementing to ensure every youth feels welcomed and wholly included, to achieve a sense of belonging with the Scouts, and to prepare them for success in our ever-evolving world.
This merit badge is unique in that it will involve a different experience for the Scout to earn it. The merit badge has no pamphlet that provides the answers or information to meet each requirement. Instead, it will require a Scout to do their own research and to dig as deeply and as detailed as the Scout desires. Scouts should plan for multiple sessions over an extended period of time to complete this merit badge.
Anyone can find the most current requirements for this merit badge on this site and on the page “The Merit Badge Program”, then finding the “Requirements” section and clicking on the link.
The Citizenship in Society merit badge became a required merit badge to earn the rank of Eagle starting on July 1, 2022. The total minimum number of merit badges to earn the rank of Eagle remains as 21.
The Citizenship in Society merit badge is a required merit badge for every Scout that completes one or more of the requirements for the rank of Eagle on July 1, 2022 and thereafter.