diff --git a/coderd/rbac/scopes.go b/coderd/rbac/scopes.go
index 4b66d08170..9a800aa03d 100644
--- a/coderd/rbac/scopes.go
+++ b/coderd/rbac/scopes.go
@@ -205,6 +205,11 @@ func parseLowLevelScope(name ScopeName) (resource string, action policy.Action,
 	if !exists {
 		return "", "", false
 	}
+
+	if act == policy.WildcardSymbol {
+		return res, policy.WildcardSymbol, true
+	}
+
 	if _, exists := def.Actions[policy.Action(act)]; !exists {
 		return "", "", false
 	}
diff --git a/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog.go b/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..70f8720a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+package rbac
+
+import (
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// externalLowLevel is the curated set of low-level scope names exposed to users.
+// Any valid resource:action pair not in this set is considered internal-only
+// and must not be user-requestable.
+var externalLowLevel = map[ScopeName]struct{}{
+	// Workspaces
+	"workspace:read":                {},
+	"workspace:create":              {},
+	"workspace:update":              {},
+	"workspace:delete":              {},
+	"workspace:ssh":                 {},
+	"workspace:start":               {},
+	"workspace:stop":                {},
+	"workspace:application_connect": {},
+	"workspace:*":                   {},
+
+	// Templates
+	"template:read":   {},
+	"template:create": {},
+	"template:update": {},
+	"template:delete": {},
+	"template:use":    {},
+	"template:*":      {},
+
+	// API keys (self-management)
+	"api_key:read":   {},
+	"api_key:create": {},
+	"api_key:update": {},
+	"api_key:delete": {},
+	"api_key:*":      {},
+
+	// Files
+	"file:read":   {},
+	"file:create": {},
+	"file:*":      {},
+
+	// Users (personal profile only)
+	"user:read_personal":   {},
+	"user:update_personal": {},
+
+	// User secrets
+	"user_secret:read":   {},
+	"user_secret:create": {},
+	"user_secret:update": {},
+	"user_secret:delete": {},
+	"user_secret:*":      {},
+}
+
+// IsExternalScope returns true if the scope is public, including the
+// `all` and `application_connect` special scopes and the curated
+// low-level resource:action scopes.
+func IsExternalScope(name ScopeName) bool {
+	switch name {
+	case ScopeAll, ScopeApplicationConnect:
+		return true
+	}
+	if _, ok := externalLowLevel[name]; ok {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+// ExternalScopeNames returns a sorted list of all public scopes, which includes
+// the `all` and `application_connect` special scopes and the curated public
+// low-level names.
+func ExternalScopeNames() []string {
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(externalLowLevel)+2)
+	names = append(names, string(ScopeAll))
+	names = append(names, string(ScopeApplicationConnect))
+
+	// curated low-level names, filtered for validity
+	for name := range externalLowLevel {
+		if _, _, ok := parseLowLevelScope(name); ok {
+			names = append(names, string(name))
+		}
+	}
+
+	sort.Slice(names, func(i, j int) bool { return strings.Compare(names[i], names[j]) < 0 })
+	return names
+}
diff --git a/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog_internal_test.go b/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog_internal_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5c47ebe8fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog_internal_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package rbac
+
+import (
+	"sort"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestExternalScopeNames(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	names := ExternalScopeNames()
+	require.NotEmpty(t, names)
+
+	// Ensure sorted ascending
+	sorted := append([]string(nil), names...)
+	sort.Strings(sorted)
+	require.Equal(t, sorted, names)
+
+	// Ensure each entry parses and expands to site-only
+	for _, name := range names {
+		// Skip `all` and `application_connect` since they do not
+		// expand into a low level scope.
+		// They are handled differently.
+		if name == string(ScopeAll) || name == string(ScopeApplicationConnect) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		res, act, ok := parseLowLevelScope(ScopeName(name))
+		require.Truef(t, ok, "catalog entry should parse: %s", name)
+
+		s, err := ScopeName(name).Expand()
+		require.NoErrorf(t, err, "catalog entry should expand: %s", name)
+		require.Len(t, s.Site, 1)
+		require.Equal(t, res, s.Site[0].ResourceType)
+		require.Equal(t, act, s.Site[0].Action)
+		require.Empty(t, s.Org)
+		require.Empty(t, s.User)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIsExternalScope(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	require.True(t, IsExternalScope("workspace:read"))
+	require.True(t, IsExternalScope("template:use"))
+	require.True(t, IsExternalScope("workspace:*"))
+	require.False(t, IsExternalScope("debug_info:read")) // internal-only
+	require.False(t, IsExternalScope("unknown:read"))
+}
diff --git a/scripts/check-scopes/README.md b/scripts/check-scopes/README.md
index 4060ba9b07..10c384dfae 100644
--- a/scripts/check-scopes/README.md
+++ b/scripts/check-scopes/README.md
@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ When the tool reports missing values:
    make -B gen/db && make lint/check-scopes
    ```
 
-3. Decide whether each new scope is public (exposed in the catalog) or internal-only (handled by the catalog task).
+3. Decide whether each new scope is public (exposed in the catalog) or internal-only.
+   - If public, add it to the curated map in `coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog.go` (`externalLowLevel`) so it appears in the public catalog and can be requested by users.
diff --git a/scripts/check-scopes/main.go b/scripts/check-scopes/main.go
index 310687bc0d..503af5b4ad 100644
--- a/scripts/check-scopes/main.go
+++ b/scripts/check-scopes/main.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func main() {
 		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  ALTER TYPE api_key_scope ADD VALUE IF NOT EXISTS '%s';\n", m)
 	}
 	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr)
-	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Also decide if each new scope is public (exposed in the catalog) or internal-only (catalog task).")
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Also decide if each new scope is external (exposed in the `externalLowLevel` in coderd/rbac/scopes_catalog.go) or internal-only.")
 	os.Exit(1)
 }