Trail to Eagle
Step 1
In order to advance to the rank of Eagle, while a Life Scout, a candidate must complete all the requirements of active tenure; Scout spirit, any remaining merit badges, positions of responsibility, developing, and providing leadership to others in a service project; and the Scoutmaster conference.
- First Aid
- Citizenship in the Community
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Citizenship in Society
- Citizenship in the World
- Cooking
- Communications
- Personal Fitness
- Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
- Environmental Science OR Sustainability
- Personal Management
- Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
- Camping
- Family Life
Step 2
Using the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook (512-927), the candidate must select their Eagle service project and have the project concept approved by their unit leader, their unit committee, and the benefactor of the project, and reviewed and approved by the council or district-approved Eagle Counselor. This workbook must be used in meeting this requirement.
When reviewing the project for approval, the unit and district Eagle Counselor are responsible for ensuring that the described project will allow the Eagle Scout candidate to demonstrate the proper level of leadership. If there is any concern about leadership, it should be expressed and resolved before the project is approved rather than at the Eagle Board of Review (if the project does not significantly change.)
Step 3
It is imperative that all requirements for the Eagle Scout rank except the Board of Review be completed prior to the candidate's 18th birthday. When all requirements except the Board of Review for the rank of Eagle, including the leadership service project and Scoutmaster Conference, have been completed the https://www.scouting.org/resources/forms/ must be completed and sent to the council service center for verification.
All requirements except the Eagle Board of Review must be completed prior to the Scout's 18th birthday. This includes the Scoutmaster Conference for the Eagle Scout rank. The Scout has up to three months to schedule and complete the Eagle Board of Review. Boards of Review conducted between three and six months after the candidate's 18th birthday must be pre-approved by the local council. A statement by an adult explaining the reason for the delay must be attached to the Eagle Scout Rank Application when it is submitted to the local council service center.
Step 4
The application should be signed by the unit leader at the proper place. The unit committee reviews and approves the record of the Eagle candidate before the application is submitted to the local council.
Step 5
The Eagle Scout Rank Application, the Eagle Scout Leadership Project Workbook, properly filled out and a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills should be submitted to the council service center for verification. Include honors and awards received during this service.
Step 6
When the completed application is received at the council service center, its contents will be verified. The Scout shall have listed six (6) references (five if no employer and parent if no organized religious association). The troop advancement committee contacts the references on the Eagle Scout rank application by letter, form or telephone checklist. The candidate should have contacted those individuals listed as references before including their names on the application. The candidates should not be involved personally in transmitting any correspondence between persons listed as references and the troop advancement committee. If the initial reference letter or form is not returned to the troop in a timely manner, the committee must make direct contact with the reference(s) listed on the Eagle Scout Rank application on its own, by follow-up letter, phone contact, or other methods as it chooses. The candidate shall not be required to make follow-up contact with the reference or submit other reference names. A Scout cannot have a Board of Review denied or postponed because the troop advancement committee does not receive the reference letter they requested.
Step 7
Verification of an Eagle Scout Rank Application is completed at the council service center by the registrar. This verification takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Scouts, their parents, or troop advancement leadership may bring the application to the council office for verification. After the contents of an application have been verified and appropriately signed, the application, Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook and statement of ambitions will be returned so that a Board of Review may be scheduled. Under no circumstances should a Board of Review be scheduled until the application is returned to the advancement committee.
Step 8
The Board of Review for an Eagle Candidate is composed of a least three, but no more than six members. One member serves as chair. Unit leaders, assistant unit leaders, relatives, or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's Board of Review. The Board of Review members should convene at least 30 minutes before the candidate appears in order to review the application, reference checks, and leadership service project report. At least one district or council advancement representative must be a member of the Eagle Board of Review if the Board of Review is conducted on a unit level. A council or district may designate more than one person to serve as a member of the Eagle Board of Review when requested to do so by the unit. It is not required that these persons be members of the advancement committee, however, they must have an understanding of the importance of the Eagle Board of Review.
Step 9
The candidate’s unit leader introduces them to the members of the Board of Review. The unit leader may remain in the room but does not participate in the Board of Review. The unit leader may be called on to clarify a point in question. In no case should a relative or guardian of the candidate attend the review, even as a unit leader. There is no set of questions that an Eagle candidate should be asked. However, the board should be assured of the candidate’s participation in the program. This is the highest award a Scout may achieve and, consequently, a thorough discussion of their successes and experiences in Scouting should be considered. After the review, the candidate and their unit leader leave the room while the board members discuss the acceptability of the candidate as an Eagle Scout. The decision must be unanimous. If the candidate meets the requirements, they are asked to return and are informed that they will receive the board’s recommendation for the Eagle Scout rank. If the candidate does not meet the requirements, they are asked to return and told the reasons for their failure to qualify. A discussion should be held with them as to how they may meet the requirements within a given period. Should the applicant disagree with the decision, the appeal procedures should be explained to them. A follow-up letter must be sent to the Scout confirming the agreements reached on the action(s) necessary for the advancement. If the Scout chooses to appeal, the board should provide the name and address of the person he is to contact. See "Appealing a Decision" in Advancement Committee Policies and Procedure No. 33088.
Step 10
Immediately after the Board of Review and after the application has been appropriately signed, the application should be submitted to the council service center for processing to the National Eagle Scout Service Center.
Step 11
When the application arrives at the council service center, the application is processed through the Scout Executive for signature who certifies that the proper procedures has been followed and the Board of Review has recommended the candidate for the rank of Eagle Scout. The application is then submitted to the National Eagle Scout Service Center for processing.
Step 12
The National Eagle Scout Service Center screens the application to ascertain information such as proper signature, positions of responsibility, tenure between ranks, and age of the candidate. Any item not meeting national standards will cause the application to be returned for more information. If the application is in order, the Scout is then certified as an Eagle Scout by the Eagle Scout Service on Behalf of the National Council. Notice of approval is given by sending the Eagle Scout certificate to the local council. The date used on the certificate will be the date of the Board of Review. The Eagle Award must not be sold or given to any unit until after the certificate is received by the council service center. The Eagle Scout Court of Honor should not e scheduled until the local council receives the Eagle Scout rank credentials.
The council will contact the Eagle Scouts Scoutmaster via email to notify him/her that the Scout has been approved for the Eagle Rank.