What this guide covers
- What CAS is and why it is required
- The three strands
- The learning outcomes
- The CAS project
- Portfolio, reflection and evidence
- Deadlines and consequences
- Frequently asked questions
What CAS is and why it is required
Creativity, Activity, Service, known throughout the International Baccalaureate as CAS, is one of the three core elements every Diploma Programme student must complete alongside the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. It is not an examined subject and carries no grade, but it is a genuine requirement: a candidate who does not satisfactorily complete CAS will not be awarded the diploma, however strong their subject results. That is why treating CAS as a box to be ticked at the last minute is a serious mistake, and why understanding the requirement from the start of the two year programme matters.
CAS runs across the whole diploma, typically for about eighteen months, and is designed to sit outside and alongside academic study. Its purpose is personal growth through experiences that stretch a student beyond the classroom, and the requirement is defined by engagement and reflection rather than by a simple tally of hours.
The three strands
The three strands give CAS its name. Creativity covers arts and experiences that involve creative thinking, from music and drama to design and original projects. Activity covers physical exertion that contributes to a healthy lifestyle, which can range from team sport to individual training or expeditions. Service covers unpaid, voluntary work that has a genuine benefit to a community and a real learning value for the student. A strong CAS programme shows a balance across all three strands over the two years rather than a heavy concentration in one.
Experiences can combine strands, and many of the best ones do. Coaching a junior sports team, for example, can draw on activity and service at once. What matters is that the student is genuinely engaged and can reflect meaningfully on what the experience involved.
The learning outcomes
Rather than counting hours, CAS is assessed against a set of learning outcomes that a student must demonstrate through their experiences over the programme. These outcomes include identifying personal strengths and areas for growth, taking on new challenges and developing new skills, showing initiative and perseverance, working collaboratively with others, engaging with issues of global significance, and recognising the ethical dimensions of choices and actions. A student does not need to meet every outcome in every activity, but by the end of the programme their portfolio should show evidence of all of them.
CAS is a completion requirement, not a grade
Because CAS is pass or fail rather than graded, the risk is administrative: incomplete evidence, not weak performance. For a parent friendly overview of how CAS fits family life, see our companion piece on CAS explained for parents, and the IB curriculum hub for the wider programme.
The CAS project
Every student must complete at least one CAS project, an extended experience that runs over a sustained period, usually at least a month. The project must involve one or more of the three strands and is expected to be planned, carried out and reflected upon by the students themselves, often as a small collaborative team. It should require initiative, decision making and problem solving, and it gives students a chance to show sustained commitment rather than a series of one off activities. The project is a required part of CAS, so it is worth planning early rather than leaving it to the final months.
Portfolio, reflection and evidence
Students record their CAS journey in a portfolio, which is the evidence that the requirement has been met. The portfolio gathers reflections, plans and evidence for each experience and for the project, and it is reviewed in conversations with a CAS coordinator or adviser at the school. Reflection is central and is what distinguishes CAS from simply doing activities: students are expected to think about what they set out to do, what actually happened, what they learned and how they grew. Three formal interviews with the coordinator across the programme are a common structure, allowing progress to be checked and gaps addressed in good time.
Deadlines and consequences
CAS has internal school deadlines throughout the two years rather than a single external examination, and keeping pace with them is the surest way to satisfy the requirement without stress. A student who falls behind can usually be brought back on track if the school flags it early, which is precisely why the interview structure exists. The consequence of not completing CAS is significant and worth stating plainly: without satisfactory completion, the full diploma is not awarded, even where every subject has been passed. Approached steadily from the start, however, CAS is one of the most rewarding parts of the diploma and rarely a source of difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
Is CAS required to get the IB Diploma?
Yes. CAS is a core requirement, and a candidate who does not satisfactorily complete it will not be awarded the diploma even if every subject is passed. It carries no grade but must be completed.
How many CAS hours are required?
CAS is no longer measured by a fixed number of hours. It is assessed by demonstrating a set of learning outcomes and sustained engagement across the three strands over roughly eighteen months, evidenced in a portfolio.
What is the CAS project?
It is a required extended experience, usually running over at least a month, that involves one or more of the three strands and is planned, carried out and reflected on by the students themselves, often as a small team.
What are the three strands of CAS?
Creativity, covering arts and creative thinking; Activity, covering physical exertion for a healthy lifestyle; and Service, covering unpaid voluntary work of genuine benefit. A balanced programme shows all three over the two years.