IB CAS Project vs Experience

If you're an International Baccalaureate (IB) student, or you’re considering an IB, you've probably heard about CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) projects and experiences. They can sound pretty similar which can be really puzzling. There’s no need to worry, as we’ll dive into the whole IB CAS project vs experience confusion to help you understand the differences. 

Read on to explore our comprehensive guide. You’ll find everything you need to know about CAS projects and experiences, with clear examples and practical tips to help you succeed.

Key Takeaways

• CAS experiences are individual or short-term activities that can be one-off events or ongoing commitments.

• CAS projects must be sustained, collaborative activities lasting at least one month that integrate multiple CAS strands.

• You need at least one CAS project plus multiple experiences across creativity, activity, and service.

• Projects require more planning and teamwork, whilst experiences can be more flexible and individual

What Is a CAS Experience?

Quick definition: A CAS experience is any meaningful activity that fits into one of the three CAS strands: Creativity, Activity, or Service.

Duration: These activities can be short-term or ongoing and there's no minimum duration. You could attend a single painting workshop or play football every week for months. The key is that the experiences help you develop personally whilst contributing to your community or pursuing your interests.

Examples of CAS Experiences

Creativity experiences:

• Attending a pottery class

• Learning to play guitar

• Taking part in a photography workshop

• Joining your school's drama club

Activity experiences:

• Playing in a football match

• Going rock climbing

• Taking part in a charity fun run

• Joining a weekly dance class

Service experiences:

• Helping at a local food bank for one afternoon

• Reading to children at a primary school

• Volunteering at an animal shelter

• Tutoring younger students

What Examiners Expect for CAS Experiences

For each experience, you'll need to reflect on your learning and growth. It can be hard to pin down what this actually means, but your reflections should show how the activity helped you develop new skills, challenged you, or made a difference to others.

Keep your reflections honest and specific. Don't just say "I enjoyed it". Try to explain what you learned and how it changed you. Did the activity make you think about something differently? Did you learn a new skill? Jot down some notes straight after the activity to keep your reflections fresh and relevant.

While the CAS doesn’t boost your IB grade with points, it is a mandatory element of the IB that must be completed. If you’re keen to see the elements of the IB that do contribute to your IB points, take a look at our IB Grades Guide.

What Is a CAS Project?

Quick definition: A CAS project is a sustained, collaborative activity that requires you to work with others and integrate multiple CAS strands.

Duration: The project must last for at least one month. 

Projects involve significant planning, action, and reflection phases. You'll need to identify a need or opportunity, plan your approach, work with others to implement your ideas, and reflect on the outcomes.

The collaborative element is crucial. You can't do a CAS project entirely on your own.

Examples of CAS Projects

Creativity-focused projects:

• Organising an art exhibition featuring local artists (Creativity + Service)

• Creating a school magazine with your classmates (Creativity + Service)

• Putting on a community theatre production (Creativity + Activity + Service)

Activity-focused projects:

• Running a sports camp for primary school children (Activity + Service)

• Organising a charity marathon event (Activity + Service)

• Setting up a school hiking club (Activity + Creativity)

Service-focused projects:

• Launching a community recycling initiative (Service + Activity)

• Creating an awareness campaign about mental health (Service + Creativity)

• Building a community garden (Service + Activity + Creativity)

CAS Project vs Experience: Key Differences

Understanding the key differences will help you categorise your activities correctly and plan your CAS programme effectively.

Duration and Commitment

Experiences offer flexibility. You might volunteer at a charity shop once, or play tennis every week for two years. Both count as experiences.

Projects require sustained commitment over at least one month. This gives you time to plan properly, work through challenges, and see real outcomes.

Collaboration vs Individual Activity

Experiences can be solo adventures. Learning piano, going for runs, or helping at a local charity can all be done independently.

Projects must involve working with others. This collaboration is essential because it teaches you teamwork skills and helps you achieve bigger goals than you could manage alone.

Complexity and Planning Required

Experiences can be spontaneous. You might decide to volunteer at a beach clean-up you heard about last week.

Projects need careful planning. You'll identify goals, create timelines, assign roles to team members, and think through potential challenges before you start.

Assessment Expectations

For experiences, you'll reflect on what you learned and how you grew. These reflections can be shorter and more personal.

For projects, you'll document your journey through planning, action, and reflection phases. Your reflections should show how you worked with others, overcame obstacles, and achieved your goals.

How Many CAS Projects and Experiences Do You Need?

The IB requires students to take part in a range of experiences and at least one project. There's no maximum limit, but quality matters more than quantity.

Suggested Balance

It’s a good idea to aim for activities across all three strands throughout your IB programme. This might look like:

• One substantial CAS project (required)

• Several ongoing experiences (like weekly sports or music lessons)

• Multiple one-off experiences (workshops, volunteer events, competitions)

Remember to spread your activities across creativity, activity, and service. Don't focus only on your favourite strand, even though they may naturally appeal more. The IB wants to see you developing as a well-rounded person, so have a go at new things that cover the strands you’re least comfortable with.

Tips for Choosing and Planning CAS Activities

Pick Activities You Actually Enjoy

Reflection is so much easier and more meaningful when you're doing an activity that you really engage with. It won’t be reaching for reflective ideas because you'll naturally have plenty to write about.

And, don't fall into the trap of choosing activities just because they sound impressive. Authenticity matters much more than prestige.

Look for Multi-Strand Opportunities

Activities that combine creativity, activity, and service can be especially rewarding. These help you meet requirements efficiently whilst creating rich learning experiences.

For Projects: Break It Into Stages

Planning stage:

• Identify the need or opportunity

• Set clear, achievable goals

• Assign roles to team members

• Create a realistic timeline

Action stage:

• Implement your plan

• Adapt when things don't go as expected

• Document your progress

• Support your team members

Reflection stage:

• Evaluate what worked and what didn't

• Consider what you learned about yourself

• Think about the impact you made

• Plan how to apply these lessons in future

Work with Peers or Community Partners

For projects, find people who share your interests and complement your skills. A mix of personalities and abilities often leads to better outcomes.

Consider partnering with local organisations, charities, or community groups. They can provide expertise, resources, and real-world context for your project. Seeing the authentic impact of your collaborative CAS project in your local community is something to be proud of.

Common Misconceptions About CAS Projects and Experiences

"Any Group Activity Counts as a Project"

This isn’t true. Group activities can still be experiences if they don't meet the project criteria.

For example, playing in your school football team is a group activity, but it's typically an experience because it doesn't involve the sustained planning and multi-strand integration required for projects.

"Projects Are Harder Than Experiences"

Projects aren't necessarily more difficult, but they are more structured. Some students actually find the clear framework helpful. The planning and collaboration elements can make projects feel more manageable because you share the workload and responsibility.

"You Only Need Experiences If You Already Have a Project"

Both projects and experiences are required. You can't just do one massive project, and you can’t just do lots of one-off experiences. Experiences provide different types of learning opportunities and help you explore various interests throughout your IB programme. The project gives you the opportunity for a more sustained, collaborative activity. Both elements need to be completed to fulfil the CAS requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a CAS project be done individually?

No. CAS projects must involve collaboration with others. This is a core requirement that makes projects different to experiences.

However, you can initiate and lead a project whilst working with teammates. Being the project leader is perfectly acceptable as long as others are genuinely involved.

How long should a CAS project last?

CAS projects must last for at least one month. However, many successful projects run for several months or even longer.

The duration should match the complexity of your goals. A community garden might take six months to establish, whilst organising a charity concert might take two months of intensive planning to get it off the ground.

Do CAS experiences need to be approved by my coordinator?

It's always wise to discuss your planned experiences with your CAS coordinator, especially if you're unsure whether they meet the requirements. Your coordinator can help you understand whether an activity counts as creativity, activity, or service, and suggest ways to enhance your learning from the experience.

How do I record reflections for projects vs experiences?

For experiences, focus on personal growth and learning. Describe what you did, what challenged you, what you enjoyed, and how you developed.

For projects, document your journey through planning, action, and reflection phases. Show how you collaborated with others, solved problems, and achieved your goals. Include evidence like photos, planning documents, or feedback from community partners.

Remember to be specific and honest in all your reflections. Generic responses won't demonstrate the deep learning that CAS is designed for.

Next steps

Now that you've got a clear picture of the differences between CAS experiences and projects, you can tackle your CAS journey with real confidence.

Whether you're volunteering at a local charity (experience) or organising a whole fundraising campaign (project), you now know exactly what counts as what. No more second-guessing yourself or worrying if you're on the right track.

Your CAS portfolio is waiting for you to fill it with amazing activities that genuinely interest you. So go ahead! Pick that sport you've always wanted to try, start that community project you've been thinking about, or join that creative club that's caught your eye. You're ready to make your CAS journey both meaningful and successful.