What Is CAS? Guide to IB Creativity, Activity, Service

If you’re starting an IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Programme, you might be wondering what CAS is all about. You're not alone. CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) is one of the three core components of the IB diploma, alongside Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and the Extended Essay (EE).

While CAS is compulsory for all IB students, it's not graded. You either pass or you don't. That means there’s no need to stress about perfect marks. You just have to focus on meaningful experiences that help you grow as a person.

Ready to take a deep dive into CAS? Read our guide to find out everything you need to know.

Key Takeaways

• CAS stands for Creativity, Activity, Service - three strands that help develop well-rounded students.

• You must participate regularly for at least 18 months throughout your IB programme.

• It's assessed on a pass/fail basis, so no grades to worry about.

• You need to complete a range of CAS experiences, plus one major CAS project that integrates multiple strands.

What Does CAS Stand For?

CAS breaks down into three equally important strands. You'll need to show regular participation across all three areas throughout your IB diploma.

Creativity

Creativity covers anything that gets your artistic or innovative juices flowing. This strand is all about exploring the arts and any other experiences that may involve creative thinking. Some examples that would fall under this strand include:

• Music

• Drama

• Art

• Design

• Writing

You might join the school play, start a photography project, write for the school magazine, or learn a new instrument. The key is pushing your creative boundaries and trying something that stretches your imagination.

Activity

Activity focuses on physical effort that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. This doesn't mean you need to be the next Olympic champion, but it can involve sports or competition.

Popular activity examples include:

• Joining a sports team

• Training for a marathon

• Taking up yoga

• Going on hiking challenges

• Trying a new active pursuit, like rock climbing

Even activities like dance classes or martial arts count, as long as there's physical exertion involved.

Service

Service is about helping others and making a positive impact on your community. This strand teaches you about global citizenship and social responsibility.

Examples include: 

• Tutoring younger students

• Organising fundraisers for charity

• Volunteering at local organisations

• Helping at animal shelters

• Creating awareness campaigns for important causes

The best service activities address real needs and create meaningful change, rather than being something that just ticks a box.

Why Is CAS Important?

It might seem like CAS is just another IB requirement to get through. But it’s designed to develop you into a more balanced, reflective person who thinks beyond academic achievements.

The programme encourages personal growth through hands-on experiences you can't get from textbooks. You'll discover new passions, develop leadership skills, and build confidence in unfamiliar situations.

Universities absolutely love seeing genuine CAS involvement because it demonstrates initiative, teamwork, and commitment. These are the exact qualities they want in students. 

CAS experiences show you can balance academic work with meaningful community engagement. And these transferable skills, like resilience, collaboration, and global awareness will serve you well throughout university and your future career.

How Is CAS Assessed?

CAS operates on a simple pass/fail system, so no grades, no percentages - just completion of requirements.

You must demonstrate regular CAS engagement for at least 18 months, starting when you begin your IB programme. This usually means from the beginning of Year 1 through to near the end of Year 2.

To pass CAS, you need to achieve the seven CAS learning outcomes (opens in a new tab) through your various experiences. These outcomes are:

1. Undertaking challenges that develop new skills in the process

2. Increasing awareness of your strengths and areas for growth

3. Planning and initiating a CAS experience

4. Working collaboratively

5. Showing commitment and perseverance

6. Engaging with issues of global significance

7. Understanding the importance of ethics

You'll document everything through written reflections, photos, and evidence in your CAS portfolio (usually online). 

Tip: Don't leave reflections until the last minute - keep them updated as you go, otherwise your memories can become a little hazy and your reflections won’t be as accurate.

Examples of CAS Projects

The highlight of your CAS journey should be your CAS project. This is a substantial undertaking that combines two or more CAS strands over at least one month. Not sure if what you're considering is a project or an experience? Our handy IB CAS Project vs Experience Guide will help.

Here are some project combinations to inspire you:

• Creativity + Service: 

  • Design and create promotional materials for a local charity's awareness campaign. You could develop posters, social media content, and a website whilst supporting a meaningful cause.

• Activity + Service: 

  • Organise a charity sports tournament at your school. This combines physical activity with fundraising for a good cause whilst building your event planning skills.

• Creativity + Activity: 

  • Choreograph and perform a dance piece for a community festival. You're being creative whilst staying physically active and entertaining others.

• All Three Strands: 

  • Launch a community garden project where you design the layout (creativity), do the physical planting and maintenance (activity), and provide fresh produce to local food banks (service).

Remember, your project should be student-led and personally meaningful. Choose something you genuinely care about, not just what sounds impressive.

Tips for Success in CAS

CAS might feel a bit overwhelming at first, but with the right approach, it can actually be one of the most rewarding parts of your IB journey. Here are some tips to help you make the most of it:

• Start early and don't leave everything until your final year. Beginning CAS activities in Year 1 gives you time to develop meaningful experiences and reflect properly.

• Choose activities you actually enjoy. Genuine enthusiasm shows in your reflections and makes the whole experience more rewarding.

• Maintain balance across all three strands throughout your 18 months. Don't focus heavily on one area and neglect the others.

• Keep your reflections current. Write them regularly rather than trying to remember everything months later. Fresh reflections are always more authentic and detailed.

• Plan for one substantial CAS project alongside smaller, ongoing activities. This gives you a good mix of depth and breadth in your portfolio.

• Document everything. This means photos, certificates, feedback from supervisors, and personal reflections. Evidence makes your CAS story much stronger.

Common CAS Mistakes to Avoid

To be sure of CAS success, here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• Don't choose activities with zero personal challenge. If you're already a skilled pianist, just playing piano won't push you to grow. Consider teaching piano to others or composing original pieces instead.

• Avoid forgetting about documentation and reflections. Without proper evidence, even amazing experiences won't count towards your CAS completion.

• Never neglect balance across creativity, activity, and service strands. You need ongoing engagement in all three areas, not just your favourites.

• Don't wait until the last semester to start meaningful projects. Quality CAS experiences need time to develop and create real impact.

• Don’t treat CAS like a box-ticking exercise. Supervisors can spot surface-level engagement from miles away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours of CAS do I need?

There's no minimum hour requirement anymore. The IB removed the old 150-hour guideline and now focuses on quality engagement over quantity.

Focus on meaningful participation rather than counting hours. Regular engagement over 18 months with evidence of the learning outcomes is what matters.

What happens if I fail CAS?

CAS completion is absolutely essential for your qualification. Failing CAS means you don't receive your IB Diploma, even if you pass all your subject exams. However, you can continue working on CAS requirements even after your main exam session if needed. If needed, you can speak to your CAS coordinator about extending your completion timeline.

Can normal hobbies count as CAS?

Yes, existing hobbies can count as CAS, but you need to show personal challenge and growth. Simply continuing what you already do well isn't enough.

For example, if you already play football competitively, you might coach younger players (service element) or learn a completely new sport (activity challenge) to meet CAS requirements properly.

Final Thoughts

Embarking on your CAS journey is one of the most rewarding parts of your IB. Don't stress about it being perfect, and instead, focus on choosing activities you genuinely care about and documenting your growth along the way.

Remember, universities and employers love seeing students who've stepped outside their comfort zones and made real contributions to their communities. And, CAS gives you brilliant stories to cover in personal statements and mention in interviews.

Start exploring your options now, keep those reflections up to date, and most importantly - have fun with it. Your future self will thank you for all the amazing experiences and skills you'll gain through CAS.