last revised Saturday, March 13th, 2021
Note: this page is volunteer-maintained, and updated roughly monthly; it is NOT a comprehensive list and focuses on Council merit badge “days” and series of multiple sessions offered across several weeks. Individual merit badge counselors around the country are generously offering programs in their own areas of specialty but there are far too many to list and keep updated. Many pop up and are announced and completed in the space of less than a week. The best way to learn about these programs is to follow social media pages like the Virtual Merit Badge Classes Facebook group and the Illinois Merit Badge Finder Facebook page.
For all virtual merit badge programs, please make sure to check the time zone since these classes are offered virtually to scouts all over the country.
Scouts who have not earned the Cyber Chip for their grade are encouraged to attend one of Three Fires Council’s online safety programs. There is a program scheduled for the evening of March 25th.
Local In-Person Programs
- Three Fires Council, who host the largest merit badge university in the area, are holding an in-person merit badge day at Camp Big Timber on Saturday May 8th. Note: Life/older scouts get priority for Eagle sessions; pre-requisites are many.
- Evanston Environmental Association‘s spring Monday afternoon Plant Science and Fishing sessions are currently full, but get on the waitlist if you are interested and check back from more quarterly offerings.
- Rolling Meadows Park District is also offering a variety of electives on Saturdays including Dog Care, Fish and Wildlife Management, Fishing, Nature, and Pets.
- Morton Arboretum is offering in-person Geocaching this spring, Programs are announced through late March, so check back for additional offerings.
- Space Jamboree: Save the date for this annual STEM-focused merit badge weekend featuring camping, an a wide variety of merit badge programs including both robotics and pool robotics. This mini-camp was run successfully in-person in the summer of 2020, so will definitely return in 2021. The event runs Friday August 6 to Sunday August 8th in Rantoul, IL.
Spring online Eagle MB Offerings
- Alamo Council Spring Merit Badge University: Held Saturday May 1st 2021. Details TBA. Registration will be available in late March/early April.
- Calcasieu Council has many Eagle programs and a few electives scheduled through early May (mostly evening).
- Camp Fear Council is offering two weeks of Spring Break MB programs the last week of March/first week of April. Mix and match programs, with many Eagle badges included in the mix.
- Chickasaw Council has a variety of evening programs on the calendar through early April.
- Colorado Adventure Point: dozens of Eagle and elective badges including weekend and weekday afternoon programs scheduled through February 2021.
- Dan Beard Council is offering Citizenship in the Nation as well as other programs on weekday afternoons in May.
- Iowa State University is offering Citizenship in the World and Sustainability along with several electives across two weekends in April.
- Daniel Boone Council is offering online programs weekly with classes announced through mid-April. Most sessions are electives but upcoming sessions include Family Life and they have offered Citizenship and other Eagle badges in the past.
- Epic Merit Badges: Epic offers a continuing series of online merit badges. Current offerings include Citizenship in the Nation and World, and they regularly rotate through many of the other Eagle badges. Sessions announced through mid-May. Please note: these classes are held at Hawaii Standard Time so make sure you check the time difference before enrolling!
- Narragansett Council has a few elective and Eagle programs left on its spring calendar.
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoon programs Nature and Environmental Science and Sustainability.
- The Cell Virtual Merit Badge Clinics: these free clinics are offered in sessions of two consecutive Saturday mornings. Upcoming programs include Emergency Preparedness and Citizenship in the Nation. Monthly sessions have been announced through the end of 2021.
- Western Los Angeles County Council: a monthly weekend Virtual Merit Badge University program featuring roughly a dozen badges (elective and Eagle) across Saturday and/or Sunday. Sign-ups typically go live about a week in advance, so check back for course offerings and registration. Weekends are scheduled through May 2021, though badges have not yet been announced for later date.
Spring Elective MB Programs
- Three Harbors Council Online MB Clinics: Three Harbors Council in Milwaukee is hosting a series of online merit badges including evening and weekend programs.
- Lord Baden Powell Council (New York): Virtual Merit Badge University featuring many electives on March 20th.
- New England Base Camp: New sessions have been announced through the end of April.
- Garden State Council: Elective merit badges offered in the evening. Programs announced through early April.
- Other Councils have created extensive listings of additional programs. These include Mount Baker Council.
- Lost Pines Scout Reservation/Capitol Area Council: None currently scheduled.
- Camp Lanoche/Central Florida Council: None currently scheduled.
- Suffolk County Council Virtual Merit Badges: Winter programs not yet announced.
Virtual Summer Camps
- Mason-Dixon Council is offering two one-week sessions of their Cyberequipe Camp in July.
Self-Paced Programs, Virtual Counselors, and Other Resources
- Self-paced Google Classroom programs: a variety of electives offered.
- Heartland of America BSA ScoutConnect (self-paced videos).
- Edmond Historical Society in Oklahoma offers self-paced Citizenship, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Family Life, and Personal Management as well as several electives in a self-paced format.
- Illowa BSA Merit Badge Mondays (20-30 minutes self-paced videos).
- If you are looking to connect directly with virtual merit badge counselors to start or complete a badge, you can always reach out to the Advancement Chair, check out Scoutbook, or post a request on the Virtual Merit Badge Classes Facebook group.
Reference Materials
- Troop 109 in New Jersey has many merit badge pamphlets (the full pamphlet, not just the requirements) available on their website for download. Not all of these are current, but will cover much of the relevant material. This is a great option if you cannot get to the physical pamphlets in the troop room.
- BSA has also made many merit badge pamphlets available via Kindle app, priced competitively with physical pamphlets from the scout store.
- If you are not in a hurry, many libraries have merit badge pamphlets available to borrow; Glencoe does not have any in its holdings but you can request most of them via inter-library loan (just check the publication year before requesting)
- BSA National has posted a 31-day Scouts BSA Challenge featuring a daily merit badge “teaser” activity on their Scouting at Home page.
- Scouting Magazine published a list of gear for merit badges at home including kits available at ScoutShop.org to help complete the Basketry, Leatherwork, Robotics, and Woodcarving merit badges.
- For background, you can check out Bryan on Scouting’s post on Everything You Need to Know About Virtual Summer Camps for Cub Scouts and Scouts.
