# Earn 5 more merit badges Part of the Life Scout guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/life/guide/index.md) > **3.** Earn five more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all) including any number more from the list for Eagle so that you have a total of seven from the required list of Eagle in that total number of 11 merit badges. You may choose any of the 17 merit badges on the required list for Eagle to fulfill this requirement. See Eagle rank requirement 3 for this list. Requirement 3 advances your merit badge progression from the Star rank milestone (6 badges, at least 4 Eagle-required) to the Life rank milestone: **11 total merit badges, with at least 7 from the Eagle-required list**. Related Guide: [Eagle Scout Merit Badge Strategy Guide](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/eagle-required/strategy/): Complete 90-day time-lock badge planning, choice group analysis, and rank-by-rank roadmap on Merit Badge University. ## Understanding the Advancement Mathematics The requirement focuses on cumulative totals rather than a strict breakdown of your next five badges: - **Total Merit Badges Needed**: 11 badges (a net increase of 5 badges from Star). - **Eagle-Required Minimum**: At least 7 of your total 11 badges must come from the official Eagle-required list. - **Calculating Your Remaining Eagle-Required Target**: - If you earned exactly 4 Eagle-required badges for Star, you must earn at least **3 more** Eagle-required badges for Life (bringing your total to 7). - If you earned 5 Eagle-required badges for Star, you need at least **2 more** Eagle-required badges for Life. - If you earned 6 Eagle-required badges for Star, you need at least **1 more** Eagle-required badge for Life. - Any extra badges beyond the 7 required count toward your elective total. > **Did You Know?** > > Earning more than the required minimum of Eagle badges now puts you ahead for the Eagle Scout rank, where all 13 required categories must be completed. Nothing you earn is ever lost or wasted. ## The 13 Eagle-Required Categories The list of Eagle-required merit badge categories includes: 1. **[First Aid](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/)** 2. **[Citizenship in the Community](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-community/guide/)** 3. **[Citizenship in the Nation](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-nation/guide/)** 4. **[Citizenship in the World](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-the-world/guide/)** 5. **[Communication](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/communication/guide/)** 6. **[Cooking](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/cooking/guide/)** 7. **[Personal Fitness](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/personal-fitness/guide/)** *(requires a 12-week/90-day physical fitness log)* 8. **[Emergency Preparedness](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/emergency-preparedness/guide/) OR [Lifesaving](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/lifesaving/guide/)** *(choose one)* 9. **[Environmental Science](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/environmental-science/guide/) OR [Sustainability](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/sustainability/guide/)** *(choose one)* 10. **[Personal Management](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/personal-management/guide/)** *(requires a 13-week financial tracking budget)* 11. **[Swimming](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/swimming/guide/) OR [Hiking](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/hiking/guide/) OR [Cycling](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/cycling/guide/)** *(choose one)* 12. **[Camping](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/camping/guide/)** *(requires 20 days and nights of scout camping)* 13. **[Family Life](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/family-life/guide/)** *(requires a 90-day tracking of family chores and projects)* ## Strategic Planning for Eagle As a Life Scout candidate, you should strategically prioritize the merit badges that require extended tracking or multi-month commitments: - **The 90-Day Badges**: - **Personal Management (Req. 2 & 8)**: Requires maintaining a budget and financial tracker for **13 consecutive weeks**. - **Family Life (Req. 3)**: Requires tracking personal and family responsibilities/chores for **90 continuous days**. - **Personal Fitness (Req. 7 & 8)**: Requires designing, logging, and completing a **12-week physical improvement program**. - **Civic & Public Affairs Badges**: - **Citizenship in the Community**: Involves attending a local municipal government meeting and volunteering with a local non-profit. - **Citizenship in the Nation & World**: Require studying national legislation, historical documents, world treaties, and global foreign policy. - **Elective Exploration**: Choose your optional badges to explore STEM fields, trade crafts, wilderness skills, or future career interests (e.g., *Engineering*, *Aviation*, *Woodwork*, *Electronics*, *Digital Technology*). **Life Merit Badge Planning Checklist** — Ensure your 11 badges meet all requirements - [ ] Cumulative total badges: at least 11. - [ ] Total Eagle-required badges: at least 7. - [ ] Optional / elective badges: 4 badges of your choice. - [ ] Blue cards: fully signed by registered counselors and entered into unit advancement records. > **Tip** > > Always meet with your Scoutmaster to receive a signed blue card before beginning work with a merit badge counselor. Remember that all merit badge sessions must follow the two-deep leadership and buddy system rules. --- - Previous: [Demonstrate Scout spirit](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/life/guide/req2/index.md) - Next: [Complete 6 hours of service](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/life/guide/req4/index.md)