Social work admissions guide

CASPer for Social Work: 2027 Requirements

Some social work programs require CASPer, but it is not a universal BSW or MSW rule. A confirmed current example is King's University College, which requires CASPer for its Bachelor of Social Work and for both its one-year and two-year Master of Social Work pathways.

Which social work programs require CASPer?

CASPer use in social work admissions is still program-specific. The official example verified for this guide is King's University College at Western University. Its public pages include CASPer in the BSW non-academic requirements and in the admission requirements for both MSW pathways.

King's says it began including CASPer in both BSW and MSW admissions for fall 2025 and describes itself as the first Canadian school of social work to do so across those programs. That is King's own institutional claim. It does not mean that every social work school now uses CASPer.

For any other university, open the current program guide rather than assuming the requirement transfers. Our program comparison guide explains why the assessment can appear in different professional fields while admissions rules remain local to each program.

King's BSW CASPer requirement

King's lists CASPer as one of four BSW non-academic admission requirements. The others are a resume, references, and supplemental questions. Applicants also need the published course and grade requirements. The BSW begins in third year, so a student entering university in first year should not confuse general admission to King's with admission to the professional BSW years.

BSW applications open December 1 and close March 15. Applicants must have a Western or affiliate student number and UWO email address. A student without them must first apply to King's through OUAC, then use the credentials King's sends to begin the BSW application. Some applicants can finish missing academic requirements by July 1, but that does not move the March 15 application deadline.

King's one-year and two-year MSW CASPer requirements

King's requires all MSW applicants to complete CASPer and lists CSP-10211 Casper 2. The one-year route is for applicants with an accredited BSW. The two-year route is for applicants with a four-year bachelor's degree in another discipline.

Both routes list a minimum 70% average in the last two full-time years or equivalent, a research-methods course, and at least 1,000 hours of paid or unpaid human-services experience. They also require two non-academic references, a resume and experiences summary, and pathway-specific supplemental questions. Applications open October 15 and are due January 15.

Copy the code from the current MSW admissions guide when you register. Acuity says test types are not interchangeable. One result can serve multiple programs only when those programs accept that exact test type in the same cycle and are selected for distribution. The Casper 1 vs Casper 2 guide explains the naming without guessing which route you need.

What is the current CASPer format?

The standard 2026-27 CASPer described by Acuity has 11 scenarios. Four video-response scenarios come first. Each has two questions and one minute per answer. Seven typed-response scenarios follow. Each has two questions answered together in 3.5 minutes. Optional breaks separate parts of the assessment, and the typical total time is 65 to 85 minutes.

Acuity allows one attempt per test type in an admissions cycle, and the result is valid for one cycle and one type. Results are normally sent to selected programs in about two to three weeks, but an admissions deadline is not extended simply because a result is still processing. Review the current format and timing before choosing a test date.

What skills matter for social work CASPer scenarios?

King's says CASPer complements its other selection tools and is intended to support a fairer review of personal and professional skills. In its announcement, King's names empathy, fairness, communication, collaboration, and ethical decision-making as relevant qualities. These are useful preparation themes, not a published score formula or guaranteed rubric weighting.

Social work applicants should practise recognizing structural and interpersonal constraints without removing a person's agency. Strong responses gather context, avoid assumptions, acknowledge power differences, protect immediate safety, offer realistic options, and stay within the role described in the scenario.

A focused CASPer plan for social work applicants

1. Use Acuity's free official practice first. Learn the interface, timer, and response modes from the test operator.
2. Practise person-centred choices. Ask what the person wants, what barriers exist, and what support is realistically available.
3. Include safety without overreaching. Address urgent risk, use supervision when appropriate, and avoid promising an outcome outside your role.
4. Train both modes. Type two short answers in 3.5 minutes and record one-minute spoken answers without restarting.
5. Review for fairness and assumptions. Check whose perspective was missing and whether your plan creates a new barrier.

Useful practice situations include a conflict over limited resources, a colleague's boundary concern, confidential information shared inappropriately, a client who declines help, and a policy that affects groups unevenly. Focus on your reasoning process rather than trying to sound like a licensed professional. The two-week CASPer study plan helps turn these themes into timed practice.

Common social work CASPer mistakes

• Assuming every BSW or MSW requires CASPer. The confirmed King's requirement does not create a universal rule.
• Confusing BSW and MSW dates. King's publishes different application windows for the two degree levels.
• Solving the case without the person. Ask for context and preserve agency instead of imposing an idealized plan.
• Ignoring role limits. Use supervision, referral, and escalation when the scenario exceeds your authority.
• Forgetting the rest of the application. CASPer does not replace grades, experience, references, resumes, or supplements.
• Targeting an invented quartile. King's does not publish a guaranteed CASPer cutoff on the pages reviewed here.