diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/admin.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/admin.py
index 552550821c..dfa791bba7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/admin.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/admin.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Admin registration for Badge Models
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from config_models.admin import ConfigurationModelAdmin
 from django.contrib import admin
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/serializers.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/serializers.py
index d1fcce25da..a5f4f1949c 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/serializers.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/serializers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Serializers for Badges
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from rest_framework import serializers
 
 from badges.models import BadgeAssertion, BadgeClass
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/tests.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/tests.py
index 647846608c..2a9531dd88 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/tests.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/tests.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 """
 Tests for the badges API views.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import six
 from ddt import data, ddt, unpack
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
+from six.moves import range
 
 from badges.tests.factories import BadgeAssertionFactory, BadgeClassFactory, RandomBadgeClassFactory
 from openedx.core.lib.api.test_utils import ApiTestCase
@@ -44,7 +48,7 @@ class UserAssertionTestCase(UrlResetMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase, ApiTestCase):
         self.assertIn(badge_class.image.url, json_class['image_url'])
         self.assertEqual(badge_class.description, json_class['description'])
         self.assertEqual(badge_class.criteria, json_class['criteria'])
-        self.assertEqual(badge_class.course_id and unicode(badge_class.course_id), json_class['course_id'])
+        self.assertEqual(badge_class.course_id and six.text_type(badge_class.course_id), json_class['course_id'])
 
     def check_assertion_structure(self, assertion, json_assertion):
         """
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ class UserAssertionTestCase(UrlResetMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase, ApiTestCase):
         if wildcard:
             return '*'
         else:
-            return unicode(badge_class.course_id)
+            return six.text_type(badge_class.course_id)
 
     def create_badge_class(self, check_course, **kwargs):
         """
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/views.py
index 5cec8b5826..449f7dbce0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/api/views.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 API views for badges
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from edx_rest_framework_extensions.auth.session.authentication import SessionAuthenticationAllowInactiveUser
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
 from opaque_keys.edx.django.models import CourseKeyField
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/apps.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/apps.py
index a99a238914..0c26dabd30 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/apps.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/apps.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Badges Application Configuration
 Signal handlers are connected here.
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from django.apps import AppConfig
 
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/models.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/models.py
index 75cd86398c..5e479ffe26 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/models.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/models.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 """
 Database models for the badges app
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from importlib import import_module
 
+import six
 from config_models.models import ConfigurationModel
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
@@ -310,12 +313,12 @@ class CourseEventBadgesConfiguration(ConfigurationModel):
             try:
                 self.completed_settings
             except (ValueError, InvalidKeyError):
-                errors['courses_completed'] = [unicode(error_message)]
+                errors['courses_completed'] = [six.text_type(error_message)]
         if 'courses_enrolled' not in exclude:
             try:
                 self.enrolled_settings
             except (ValueError, InvalidKeyError):
-                errors['courses_enrolled'] = [unicode(error_message)]
+                errors['courses_enrolled'] = [six.text_type(error_message)]
         if 'course_groups' not in exclude:
             store = modulestore()
             try:
@@ -324,7 +327,7 @@ class CourseEventBadgesConfiguration(ConfigurationModel):
                         if not store.get_course(course_key):
                             ValueError(u"The course {course_key} does not exist.".format(course_key=course_key))
             except (ValueError, InvalidKeyError):
-                errors['course_groups'] = [unicode(error_message)]
+                errors['course_groups'] = [six.text_type(error_message)]
         if errors:
             raise ValidationError(errors)
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/service.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/service.py
index 83a0d0b505..400aea2865 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/service.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/service.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Badging service for XBlocks
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from badges.models import BadgeClass
 
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/badges/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/badges/utils.py
index 83c831cb84..172b8f2203 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/badges/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/badges/utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 Utility functions used by the badging app.
 """
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from django.conf import settings