Merit Badges provide a Scout with an introduction to a specific topic. There are two types of merit badges:
- Eagle-Required Merit Badges: These 18 merit badges, denoted by a silver border on the patch, develop core Scout skills and must be earned to become an Eagle Scout. (A total of 14 required merit badges must be earned to achieve the Eagle Scout rank. In some cases, the Scout can choose between 2 or more required merit badges to earn the 14 required). These merit badges are:
- First Aid
- Citizenship in the Community
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Citizenship in the World
- Citizenship in Society (new in July 2022)
- Communication
- Cooking
- Personal Fitness
- Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
- Environmental Science OR Sustainability
- Personal Management
- Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
- Camping
- Family Life
- Optional Merit Badges: These 110+ merit badges cover a variety of topics related to sports, hobbies, science, trades, business, technology, and even future careers. Scouts must earn 2 optional required merit badges to earn both the Star and Life ranks. A total of 9 optional merit badges must be earned to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
A full listing of current merit badges can be found on Scouting.org.