
CAS
Creativity, Activity, Service
How is CAS structured?
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Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.
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Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
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Service – an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student.
What is the significance of CAS?
CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work. At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.
What do CAS projects involve?
CAS requires students to take part in a range of experiences and at least one project. These should involve:
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real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes
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personal challenge
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thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting
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reflection on outcomes and personal learning
We don't prescribe specific projects or activities to students. All students should be involved in activities they've initiated themselves.
What is not CAS?
CAS involves the student's active participation. The following are examples that do not qualify for CAS hours.
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Sitting in a club meeting where the student is not actively participating.
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Activities where family members are the sponsor.
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Activities where the student gets paid or receives a grade.
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Activities done during the school day.
Example of a creativity project
For a creativity project, a talented musician could learn a particularly difficult piece, or a different style of playing. Read our blog about a group of students in New York who produced and performed a play to raise awareness of a real-world issue.
Example of an activity project
Activity projects do not have to be sports-related or competitive. A valuable activity project could help a student overcome a personal fear, such as rock climbing. Read our blog about a student in Australia who achieved his dream of becoming a youth soccer coach through CAS.
Example of a service project
Service projects must be beneficial for the community as well as providing a learning opportunity for the student. Read our blog about students in Indiana who organized a huge recycling drive to help an IB World School in Flint, Michigan.
The CAS project can address any single strand of CAS, or combine two or all three strands of creativity, activity and service.
IB guidance on CAS
A good CAS programme should be both challenging and enjoyable – a personal journey of self‑discovery.
Each student has a different starting point, and therefore different goals and needs, but for many their CAS activities include experiences that are profound and life‑changing.
CAS is a component of the DP core.