IB CAS Guide 2026: Requirements, Examples & Tips for Success

Article reviewed by Sandra Steiger, Education Advisor and previous CAS mentor, August 2026.

Teachers who mentor students on their Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) often find that their students have mixed feelings about it. It certainly provides structure for a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle throughout the marathon of the IB Diploma. It also invites reflection on personal growth in a way that can be highlighted in university applications. It can be a fun excuse to try something new! 

But it can also feel like a lot to fit into an already demanding IBDP schedule. 

Still, this core IBDP component is essential to earn your Diploma, and you need to know the IB CAS requirements in order to ensure your experiences are successful.

Together with our IB tutors, and Sandra’s input as TutorsPlus Education Advisor and a previous CAS mentor, we take a closer look at these requirements and share some tips to help you make the most of CAS opportunities and see them as part of the heart and soul of the IB Diploma.

IB CAS Requirements Explained

In a nutshell, the CAS guide specifies four primary requirements:

• Continuous involvement in CAS activities throughout both years in the IBDP;
• Reasonable experience distribution across all three strands;
• Attainment of seven learning outcomes;
• Completion of a CAS project.

So let us explain in more detail what each of these IB CAS requirements involves.

The Three CAS Strands: Creativity, Activity, Service

Every CAS experience falls under one or more of three strands: Creativity, Activity and Service. Together, they encourage you to explore your interests, develop new skills, stay active and contribute to your community. You don’t need every experience to cover all three strands, but your CAS programme should include a reasonable balance across them.

Creativity

Creativity focuses on experiences that involve creative thinking, exploration and expression. It can include anything from music, photography and graphic design to coding, cooking or developing content for a project.

Activity

Activity involves physical exertion that contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Team sports are a popular choice, but hiking, dancing, rock climbing, yoga, or joining a fitness programme can all provide meaningful Activity experiences.

Service

Service focuses on collaborative and reciprocal engagement with a community in response to an authentic need. It gives you the chance to contribute your time and skills while learning from the people and communities you work with.

A balanced mix of Creativity, Activity and Service will help you build a CAS programme that reflects your interests while giving you varied opportunities to learn, contribute and grow.

CAS Learning Outcomes

The CAS portfolio documents your journey of personal development and growth. At its heart lie seven learning outcomes, whose purpose is to shape your experience.

It isn’t necessary to meet every single outcome for every chosen activity. However, you need to achieve all seven at least once during your CAS involvement.

Sandra says, “I always made sure to share the learning outcomes according to the CAS guide with my students in our first meeting, and review these together ahead of brainstorming ideas, so they’d be on the right path from the beginning.”

Here they are in more detail:

1. Identifying Strengths and Areas for Growth. Recognise your existing capabilities, acknowledge areas needing improvement, set realistic goals for personal development, and track your progress over time.

2. Demonstrating Challenge and Growth. You need to step outside your comfort zone, take on meaningful challenges, practise resilience when facing obstacles, and learn from setbacks.

3. Planning and Initiation to meet IB CAS Requirements. This outcome focuses on the development of organisational skills: creating detailed activity plans, setting achievable objectives, managing your resources, and taking initiative in implementing ideas.

4. Commitment and Perseverance. This implies dedication to the chosen activities and reaching the set goals. The particular requirements include maintaining regular involvement in activities, showing consistent effort, and following through on your commitments.

5. Collaborative Skills. Although some of your activities are going to be solo efforts, the majority of them will imply teamwork. So to attain this learning outcome, you need to work effectively in a group, make valuable contributions, and strive to achieve leadership abilities.

6. Global Engagement. Since one of the primary goals of the IBDP is fostering global citizenship, CAS is another opportunity to accomplish it. You have a chance to connect with global issues by participating in relevant activities, helping raise awareness of international challenges, and contributing to finding solutions.

7. Ethical Consideration. This outcome focuses on promoting ethical awareness. Specifically, it requires you to consider multiple perspectives deeply, practise empathy, reflect on the impact of your choices and understand their ethical implications. Ultimately, it is all about learning to make responsible decisions.

IB CAS Requirements – Hours or Experiences

CAS is designed to be a sustained journey rather than a set of disjointed activities. This journey spans a minimum of 18 months, beginning when you start the IBDP and continuing regularly throughout your studies.

You can incorporate existing activities into your CAS portfolio. Sandra recommends simply ensuring you reframe your approach to these activities around the learning outcomes for the programme.

Bear in mind that the programme will encourage you to try new things also and, ideally, make them part of your lifestyle even after high school graduation.

Sandra says, “CAS is a great opportunity to practise developing healthy habits, trying and sustaining new activities that contribute to mental and physical health and well-being, especially at such a critical moment academically for many students”.

The IBO doesn’t explicitly specify how many hours per month you should dedicate to CAS experiences. That’s why every school has the freedom to establish their own rules. For instance, some schools might require minimum hours while others focus on the duration of engagement. You can learn more about the specific IB CAS requirements from your CAS Coordinator.

Regardless of your school’s particular approach, there is one requirement across the board – continuity. This means you need to be consistently involved in the chosen activities. At any given moment, you should have at least one ongoing CAS experience.

IB CAS Project Requirements

Your CAS participation will involve both individual experiences and a larger collaborative CAS project.

CAS experiences

CAS experiences are typically single events or a series of shorter activities. Each of them may last about an hour and involve a single strand. Although you can participate in these events as part of a group, you should still focus on your personal growth.

Sandra reflects that, “Many students fall into the trap of searching for CAS experiences just to tick off another hour. But looking for opportunities that are meaningful to you in terms of your personal growth in specific learning outcomes – like planning or persistence or collaboration – make the experience, and the quality of your reflection, so much better. The reflection required for the CAS experiences is more easily written if there are common threads.”

The CAS project

The CAS project, on the other hand, spans at least a month and involves a significant time commitment. Your individual contributions should become valuable parts of the project. Nevertheless, in its essence, it is a collaborative effort that promotes teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. This can range from small initiatives involving just two people to larger projects when the entire class takes part.

For their CAS projects, students often draw inspiration from a combination of all three strands – Creativity, Activity, and Service. For example, a project could involve creating a piece of art (Creativity) to raise funds for a local charity (Service) while also requiring physical activity in its planning and execution (Activity). At the same time, you may also focus on a single strand.

Key Differences: IB CAS Experiences vs. IB CAS Project

Stages of CAS

Every successful CAS experience and project should follow a structured approach known as the Five Stages framework. Its purpose is to systemise your chosen activities as well as maximise your learning opportunities.

Sandra notes that the most solid and ultimately successful and fulfilling projects, depend on students systematically guiding their projects using the The Stages of CAS, which are the following:

1. Investigation

At the first phase of your CAS journey, you should:

• identify your personal interests and strengths
• discover areas for potential growth
• research available opportunities and consider how they can contribute to the CAS learning outcomes. 

Your goal here is to choose activities that are both meaningful and achievable.

2. Preparation

Once you’ve identified your activities, the next step is to develop an action plan. It should detail:

• the goals you want to attain, timelines and milestones
• responsibilities (both your individual and as a group). 
• the necessary resources and challenges you might face.

3. Action

At this stage, your plans transform into reality. This means, you actively engage in the chosen activities and work with other members of your group. Don’t forget to:

• specify how your skills and knowledge help you achieve the set goals. 
• describe how you overcame challenges that come up or how they impacted your experience (for example, you had to make adjustments to your plans).

4. Reflection

Reflections are a cornerstone of your CAS journey. They encapsulate:

• considerations about your personal growth
• the effect of the chosen activities on yourself and others
• the lessons you’ve learned and the insights you’ve gained
• any hurdles you’ve encountered and what you’ve done to get over them
• how you factored in ethical responsibility when making decisions. 
• your achievements, as well as anything else you could continue to improve.

In your CAS project, you need to include three reflections (at the start of the process, a mid-point evaluation of your progress, and a final reflection on outcomes). 

For CAS experiences, it will suffice to incorporate one comprehensive reflection, which is why Sandra mentioned above it’s helpful to have a planned and coherent approach to choosing CAS experiences.

5. Demonstration

The final stage showcases the evidence of your journey and your key achievements. This can take various forms, from portfolio presentations and written reports to digital storytelling and physical exhibitions. No matter what you go with, it must be suitable to demonstrate your personal growth, document learning outcomes, as well as share insights and reflections.

A framework for Reflection and Documentation

The ability to reflect on your experiences and how they relate to learning outcomes is fundamental to both CAS and the IB Diploma Programme as a whole.

Sandra admits that this is often the part that students find the most difficult to sustain. “It’s easy to focus on the “doing” and not plan time for reflection. But there’s so much value in taking stock of how you’re progressing, it can be really motivating! And reflecting as a group as part of the CAS project brings together the insights and experiences of each individual in a really valuable way.”

An effective approach Sandra can recommend is dividing your reflections into several stages, such as:

• Recall Your Activities. What were my initial goals and plans for this activity with respect to the learning outcomes? What challenges did I encounter, and how did I overcome them?
• Activity Analysis. How did this experience make me feel? How did it impact others involved? What skills and abilities did I develop through this activity?
• Value Recognition. What did this activity mean to me personally? Was it meaningful for the members of my group and other people?
• Conclusions. What changes did this experience bring about in my perspective or behaviour? What did I get to learn about myself and others? How does it specifically relate to a learning outcome?
• Further Actions. How can I apply the skills and lessons learned from this experience to other areas of my life?

The way you document your reflections is equally important. This is what the CAS portfolio is for. Basically, it is a log of your journey that demonstrates your engagement and achievement of learning outcomes. You are free to choose any form of documentation – journals, blogs, videos, presentations.

That being said, an effective portfolio should contain the following information:

• Visual evidence: Photos, videos, and other multimedia that prove your involvement.
• Supporting materials: Certificates of participation, letters of recommendation, and other relevant documents.
• Feedback from others: Letters of recommendation, testimonials, or feedback from supervisors or community partners.
• Progress tracking: Charts, graphs, or other methods to track your progress and demonstrate engagement.
• Achievement records: A summary of your key accomplishments and learning outcomes.

IB CAS Ideas for Students

Select CAS activities that match your interests while giving you opportunities to learn, contribute and challenge yourself.

Creativity

• Learn an instrument or creative skill.
• Start a photography, blog or digital project.
• Try cooking, coding or graphic design.

Activity

• Join a sports team or fitness programme.
• Try hiking, dancing, swimming or cycling.
• Set yourself a realistic fitness goal.

Service

• Volunteer with a local organisation.
• Support a charity or community project.
• Organise an environmental or awareness initiative.

Whatever you choose, make sure the experience is meaningful, manageable and suitable for your CAS requirements.

CAS Deadlines and Progress Monitoring

The IBO doesn’t set any specific CAS deadlines. Each school independently chooses completion timelines. The rule of thumb, however, is that your portfolio must be finalised 1-2 months before the final exam.

What do you do if you happen to miss your school’s CAS deadline? 

Since CAS is evaluated internally by your school’s CAS Coordinator, you can usually work things out by meeting with them to discuss your situation. However, it’s best to stay on schedule to avoid any last-minute stress or complications.

A top tip from Sandra: “Get started straight away! Some of the most stressful situations I’ve seen as final exams approach are students who are still trying to finalise their portfolio at the same time as revising. Sometimes you might start a new activity and realise it really isn’t for you, or you simply hit an unexpected roadblock. You want to allow time for this.”

CAS Interviews

When it comes to progress monitoring, it is carried out through a series of interviews with your CAS coordinator. 

Interview 1 takes place after you’ve completed your CAS orientation. Your coordinator will make sure you understand what CAS is about. You’ll discuss your interests, plan your first CAS activities, and explore various ways to achieve the learning outcomes.

Interview 2 happens partway through your CAS journey to see how you’re doing. This usually involves reviewing your evidence, ensuring you’re on track to meet all IB CAS requirements and making any adjustments necessary. 

Interview 3 wraps up your CAS experience. Your coordinator will be interested to hear how you met the learning outcomes and what you discovered while participating in CAS events (How did they make you feel? Which impact did they have?). They might also want to know how your CAS participation might influence your future choices and actions.

Frequently Asked Questions About IB CAS

What are the IB CAS requirements?

IB CAS requires you to participate consistently in CAS throughout the Diploma Programme, maintain a reasonable balance across Creativity, Activity and Service, achieve all seven CAS learning outcomes and complete at least one CAS project. You’ll also need to document and reflect on your experiences through your CAS portfolio.

How many hours do you need for CAS?

The IB doesn’t specify a fixed number of CAS hours that every student must complete. Instead, CAS is designed as a sustained experience that continues for at least 18 months during the Diploma Programme. Individual schools may set their own expectations around hours or participation, so check the specific requirements with your CAS Coordinator.

What counts as a CAS project?

A CAS project is a collaborative experience that lasts for at least one month. It should give you opportunities to demonstrate skills such as planning, teamwork, communication and problem solving. A project can focus on Creativity, Activity or Service, or combine two or all three strands. Your individual contribution should be clear even though the project itself is collaborative.

Can you fail IB CAS?

Yes. CAS is a required component of the IB Diploma Programme, so you must successfully complete its requirements to earn the Diploma. This means completing your CAS experiences and project, demonstrating the seven learning outcomes and providing the required evidence and reflections. If you’re falling behind, speak with your CAS Coordinator early so you can understand what still needs to be completed.

What are good CAS ideas?

Good CAS ideas are activities that genuinely interest you while giving you opportunities for challenge, growth, collaboration or service. You might learn an instrument for Creativity, take up hiking for Activity or volunteer with a community organisation for Service. Existing interests can also become meaningful CAS experiences if you develop them further and connect them clearly with the CAS learning outcomes.

Conclusion

Your academic commitments, CAS participation, family and personal affairs – these are all important elements of your high school life. With careful planning of CAS experiences and projects early on, you can avoid deadlines clustering and causing undue stress that affects your overall performance. 

Are you struggling to put all parts of your high school puzzle together? Or do you need guidance at your current stage of the CAS journey? Let us lend a helping hand. Our IB tutors, some of whom are also DP or CAS coordinators, will be happy to assist in making your journey more fulfilling and meaningful without sacrificing your academic excellence.

Would you like to find out more about how we can be at your service? We are available at 022 731 8148 and . Let us help you maximise the benefits of this unique aspect of the IB Diploma Programme.

Sandra Steiger is Education Advisor at TutorsPlus and also works as a teacher trainer. During her time teaching at the International School of Geneva, she was MYP Service Learning Coordinator, Head of Year and mentor to DP CAS students.

Reach Sandra Steiger here on LinkedIn

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