HOME—International Scouting—Highest Rank/Award/Badge

Highest Rank/Award/Badge in Scouting & Guiding

Pictures of Highest Ranks for Each Country

First, we'd better define what we mean by 'highest rank'. Most national Scout & Guide associations have various awards for adults and Scouts/Guides. These can include awards that are bestowed, such as a medal for bravery or saving life. And they can include other awards that can be earned, such as those for training or service. But by 'highest rank' (award/badge), we are referring to the highest award for advancement (achievement) that a youth can earn (generally up to age 18).

Baden-Powell created the original system of Scout advancement, starting with Tenderfoot (basically a new or inexperienced Scout), followed by Second Class, and culminating with First Class. B-P's Scouting for Boys explains general requirements for these awards, which are often called 'ranks' or 'awards' (and sometimes 'badges') in English-speaking countries. In 1909, Britain's King Edward VII authorized a new top rank, King's Scout (called Queen's Scout after approval by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and now is King's Scout again upon the accession of King Charles III in 2022). This award is also available to Scouts in countries that are members of the UK Commonwealth. Although Girl Guides started in 1910, it wasn't until 1946 that King George VI authorized the Queen's Guide award (whose patrons have been King George's wife and consort, Queen Elizabeth from 1946 to 1953; her daughter Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 2022; and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh from 2024 to present [her husband is Prince Edward, youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II]). Many national Scout & Guide associations have also created similar highest awards.

Some national Scout/Guide associations do not have an advancement system, and hence do not have a highest level of advancement/achievement/rank that a Scout or Guide can earn. For those associations that have an advancement system, they often have a highest award for each program section (Cub Scouts/Brownies, Boy Scouts/Girl Guides, Venturers, Rovers, etc). But the highest award, and the one with the most prestige (and carryover value into the adult world) is typically the top award available to a Scout or Guide in the association's program for high-school-aged youth (typically aged about 14 until 18, although some associations allow earning their top award up to as high as age 30).

So far, we've found 52 Scout/Guide Associations in 45 countries where there is a highest rank or advancement award. We'd be delighted if you would email us with addtional information, as we have certainly missed some.

It's interesting that the name of the highest rank typically falls into one of four categories:
(1) Named after the Chief of State (King, Queen, President, Sultan) (21 associations)
(2) Named after an animal (sometimes mythical or religious) (condor, dolphin, dragon, eagle, garuda, lion, quetzal, sable, springbok, tiger) (16 associations)
(3) A name with national pride or religious significance (11 associations)
(4) Named after the top Scouting official (usually 'Chief Scout's Award') (4 associations)