HOME—International Scouting—Highest Rank/Award/Badge

Highest Rank/Award/Badge in Scouting & Guiding

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 under 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). 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 patron was King George's wife and consort, Queen Elizabeth [not to be confused with her daughter, who became 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 that have Rovers allow earning their top award up to about age 25, and some have a separate top award for adult Rovers).

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 many, and we have not found good images of all the top badges.

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)

Prestige. The highest award in some countries carries significant prestige and value beyond Scouting. But in those countries where they have a highest award for each program section, each with an identical name, we doubt there is much recognition outside of Scouting for such awards. For example, the Eagle Scout award in the US is well-known outside of Scouting, tends to 'open doors' in job or university applications, and even gains the recipient an early rank advancement in the US military forces. We would be curious to hear from you about the prestige (or lack thereof) of the highest awards in other countries.

Country (Scout Association) Top Award	Picture of Top Award	Scout / Venturer Advancement Progression
Australia (Scouts Australia) Queen's Scout [temporarily called the Venturer Scout Peak Award, pending "confirmation of the next patron of Scouts Australia" (presumably King Charles III), in which case the award would return to the name King's Scout]		A Scout in Australia can earn a number of awards, starting with the Scoutcraft badge, then Pioneer(red)/ Explorer(blue)/Adventurer(green) target badges, followed by similar colored cords with additional requirements, and culminating in the Australian Scout Medallion. A Venturer can earn 4 awards: Venturing Skills Award, The Venturer Award, Endeavour Award, and Queen's Scout Award.
Australia (Girl Guides Australia) Queen's Guide
Bangladesh (Bangladesh Scouts) President's Scout
Belize (The Scout Association of Belize) Queen's Scout [may be renamed King's Scout in the near future]
Brazil (União dos Escoteiros do Brasil) Escoteiro da Pátria (Scout of the Fatherland)		A Scout or Guide (Escoteiro/Escoteira) in Brazil can earn the Lis de Ouro (Gold Badge). A Senior Scout or Guide (Sênior/Guia) can earn the Escoteiro da Pátria award.
Brunei (Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei Darussalam) Pengakap Sultan (Sultan Scout)
Canada (Scouts Canada) King's Venturer Award Roi des scouts aventuriers		A Scout in Canada must earn a number of badges, toward completing the Chief Scout's Award. Similarly a Venturer must earn a number of badges, toward completing the King's Venturer Award.
Canada (Girl Guides of Canada / Guides du Canada) Chief Commissioner's Gold Award Prix d'or de la commissaire générale		The highest achievement for a Pathfinder (ages 12-15) is the Canada Cord. A Ranger (ages 15-17) can earn various awards, culminating in the Chief Commissioner's Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.
Chile (Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile) Cóndor Scout
China / Hong Kong (The Scout Association of Hong Kong) Dragon Scout
Cyprus (Cyprus Scouts Association) Proskopos Dimokratias (Republic's Scout)
Czechia (Junák — český skaut) Tri-Orli-Pera (three eagle feathers) Lvi skaut II. stupne (Lion Scout second degree)		It appears that Tri-Orli-Pera is the highest award a Scout (age 11-15) can earn, while Lvi skaut is the highest Rover award (age 16-26). Lvi skaut requires earning Tri-Orli-Pera, among other requirements.
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) (Eswatini Scout Association) Lion Scout
Greece (Soma Ellinon Proskopon) Proskopou Ethnous (Scout of the Nation)
Guatemala (Asociación de Scouts de Guatemala) Scout Quetzal (the resplendent quetzal is the national bird)
Honduras (Asociación de Scouts de Honduras) Caballero Scout Lempira (Knight Scout Lempira; refers to a 16th Century leader who fought against the Spanish conquistadors)
Iceland (Bandalag Islenskra Skáta) Forsetamerkið (President Award)
India (The Bharat Scouts and Guides) Rashtrapati Scout / Guide (President's Scout / Guide)		A Scout or Guide in India can earn 5 advancement awards after passing the Pravesh (Entry) requirements: Pratham Sopan (First Level), Dwitiya Sopan (Second Level), Tritiya Sopan (Third Level), Rajya Puraskar (State Award), and Rashtrapati Puraskar (President Award).