Note
Acuity Insights' own CASPer pages could not be reached directly while writing this file, so the facts below are corroborated from secondary reports that describe the official test format, fees and policies. Confirm current test dates, fees and score-sending rules for your target programme on Acuity Insights' own site before registering.
Overview
CASPer (Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics) is an online situational-judgement test developed and administered by Acuity Insights. It is used alongside grades, interviews and other application materials by admissions committees at medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, veterinary, physiotherapy, optometry and several other health-professional and graduate programmes, mostly in Canada and the United States, with some programmes in Australia and elsewhere also requiring it. CASPer does not test academic or subject knowledge. It presents short video and written scenarios and asks the test-taker to respond to questions about them, to assess personal and professional characteristics such as communication, empathy, ethics, collaboration, problem solving, resilience, self-awareness, fairness and motivation.
Who takes it
Anyone applying to a programme that requires or accepts CASPer as part of its admissions process. Which programmes require it, and for which application cycle, varies by school, profession and country, and the list changes from year to year, so applicants should confirm the requirement directly on each target programme's own admissions page rather than assume it based on other schools in the same profession. A candidate applying to several programmes that each require CASPer only needs to sit the test once per application cycle and can send that one result to every programme that requires it.
Exam pattern
CASPer is taken online, from the candidate's own computer, using a webcam and microphone, at a scheduled test slot chosen in advance. The test is split into two sections of scenario-based questions:
| Section | Scenarios | Response type | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 scenarios | Video | Each scenario carries 2 follow-up questions; the candidate records a short video answer to each, with limited time per response |
| 2 | 7 scenarios | Typed | Each scenario carries 2 follow-up questions; the candidate types answers within a fixed time per scenario |
An optional short break is offered between the two sections. Total seated time, including the optional break, typically runs to about 60–90 minutes. Scenarios present everyday ethical, interpersonal or professional situations with no single correct answer; questions ask what the candidate would do, or how they would think through the situation, rather than testing recall of facts.
Marking and results
Every scenario is scored independently by a different trained human rater, so one candidate's full test is marked by several raters rather than one person reading the whole paper. This is meant to reduce the effect of one rater's early impression carrying over to later scenarios. Each response is rated relative to other candidates' responses to the same scenario in the same test cycle, rather than against a fixed marking key.
Candidates do not receive a numeric pass/fail score. Instead, each candidate's overall result is converted to a percentile and reported to the candidate as a quartile (1st to 4th, with the 4th quartile the strongest). Programmes that use CASPer receive the underlying score and percentile directly from Acuity Insights for every applicant who has sent them a result; CASPer scores are one input into a programme's own holistic review and are not, by themselves, a pass or fail outcome.
Important dates
Acuity Insights publishes a running schedule of CASPer test dates and times covering the current application cycle, with new sittings typically offered every few weeks. Available dates, and the deadline by which a given programme needs a score, vary by programme and by country, so candidates should check both the current sitting calendar and their target programme's own CASPer deadline before picking a date. Registering close to, rather than well ahead of, a programme's deadline risks missing it if the preferred slot fills or a resit becomes necessary.
Fees
CASPer's test fee is non-refundable and is set separately for different countries' test sittings; for 2026, reported fees were about 50 CAD for sittings for Canadian programmes. The base fee includes sending the result to a set number of programmes selected at registration; sending the result to an additional programme afterward carries a further per-programme fee. Rescheduling a booked sitting is reported to be free when done well ahead of the test date, with a rescheduling fee applying for a change made close to the sitting.
How to apply
Candidates create an account and register for a CASPer sitting through Acuity Insights' own registration portal (reached via takealtus.com or acuityinsights.app), choosing a test date, time slot and the country-specific version that matches the programmes they are applying to, then select which programmes should receive the result and pay the test fee online. Acuity Insights recommends registering at least a few days before the chosen test date, since late registration is not guaranteed and verification/payment processing takes time. A valid photo ID and a computer with a working webcam, microphone and stable internet connection are required to sit the test.
After the exam
Acuity Insights sends each candidate's CASPer score, percentile and quartile directly to every programme the candidate selected, rather than to the candidate's choice of institution after the fact; a programme not selected at registration (or afterward, for a fee) does not receive the result. Candidates can view their own quartile result in their Acuity Insights account once scoring is complete. A CASPer result is generally used for one application cycle; candidates applying in a later cycle should check whether their target programmes require a fresh sitting.
Preparation tips
Practise responding under time pressure, since both the video and typed sections give a fixed, short window per response — the content matters less than clearly explaining a reasoned, fair and professional approach within that time.
Think through a scenario from more than one person's perspective before answering: raters are looking for empathy, fairness and awareness of competing interests, not a single "correct" fix.
Use Acuity Insights' own free practice materials to get used to the on-screen interface, question timing and recording setup before the real test.
Test the webcam, microphone and internet connection on the actual device and location planned for test day well in advance, since technical issues during the live sitting are the candidate's responsibility.
FAQs
Is CASPer a pass/fail test?
No. Candidates receive a quartile (1st to 4th) rather than a pass/fail result. Programmes receive the underlying score and percentile and use it as one part of a broader, holistic admissions review alongside grades, interviews and other materials.
Do I need to take CASPer more than once if I'm applying to several programmes?
No. One CASPer sitting per application cycle is enough; the same result can be sent to every programme that requires it and that was selected (or added afterward) when registering.
Who scores CASPer, and how?
Trained human raters score CASPer. Each scenario in a candidate's test is scored by a different rater, and a response is rated relative to other candidates' responses to the same scenario in the same cycle, rather than against a fixed answer key.
How do I know if my programme requires CASPer?
Check the admissions requirements page of each programme directly. Which programmes require CASPer, and for which cycle, changes from year to year and is not the same across every programme in a given profession or country.