CASPer for Teacher Education Programs: What to Know and How to Prepare
A growing number of teacher education programs require CASPer, but not all of them, and the requirement is set program by program rather than across the board. If you are applying to a Bachelor of Education, this guide tells you which programs use CASPer, which test code to register for, how it factors into admissions, and how to prepare for teaching-focused scenarios without wasting time on things that do not move your score.
The short version
- CASPer is required by some, not all, teacher education programs. Confirm it on each faculty's own admissions page.
- Ontario B.Ed programs apply through TEAS, but CASPer is set by each school, and the test codes differ (Brock uses CSP-10211, Western uses CSP-20209).
- It is the same test as the medical version: four video and seven typed scenarios, roughly 65–85 minutes. Only the scenario context is more classroom-focused.
- There is no published score cutoff. You can prepare by learning the format and doing timed practice, not by memorizing answers.
Do teacher education programs require CASPer?
Some do. CASPer is now a standard admissions requirement for several consecutive Bachelor of Education programs in Ontario, for Vancouver Island University's B.Ed, and for a large share of Australian initial teacher education courses. It is not universal, though. Plenty of education programs still admit entirely on academics, references, and experience.
The important nuance is that the requirement is decided at the program level. In Ontario, every consecutive B.Ed applies through the Teacher Education Application Service (TEAS) on OUAC, but TEAS does not impose CASPer on everyone. Each faculty of education decides whether to use it, which test code applies, and how it weighs in the decision. That is why a general “schools that require CASPer” list is a starting point, not a final answer. Verify each program you apply to on its own admissions page.
Which teacher education programs require CASPer?
Below are current, verified examples across Canada and Australia. Treat it as a representative sample rather than an exhaustive list, and always confirm the test code and deadline on the program's official page before you register.
| Program | Region | Test as the school lists it | How it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock, Consecutive B.Ed (After Degree) | Ontario | CAN Casper 2 (CSP-10211) | Confidential score combined with academic score to rank candidates |
| Western, B.Ed | Ontario | CSP-20209 (Canadian Teacher's Education) | Mandatory for all applicants; an application without a result is incomplete |
| Other Ontario TEAS faculties | Ontario | Varies, check each | Set per faculty, not automatically by TEAS |
| Vancouver Island University, B.Ed | British Columbia | Casper, for Years 1 and 3 entry | Required part of the application |
| Monash, Deakin and other initial teacher education | Australia | Casper (standard format) | Non-academic selection requirement; final test dates tied to the offer round |
The single most useful thing to notice in that table is that Brock and Western use different test codes. CSP-10211 and CSP-20209 are not interchangeable, and registering for the wrong one can leave a program without a valid result. Copy the exact code from the program you are applying to, and if you apply to several, check whether one sitting can be distributed to all of them or whether you need to add each school. The CASPer registration guide walks through the booking and distribution steps.
Is the teacher education CASPer different from the medical CASPer?
No, the test structure is identical. The current standard format is 11 scenarios split into two sections: four video-response scenarios with one minute to record each answer, then seven typed-response scenarios with 3.5 minutes to answer a pair of questions. The whole thing runs about 65 to 85 minutes with optional breaks, and certified human raters score it into quartiles. If you have read anything about the medical CASPer, that mechanics section applies to you too. The current CASPer format guide covers the section order and timing in full.
What differs is the flavor of the scenarios. Teacher education applicants tend to see more situations set in schools: a student who confides something difficult, a disagreement with a colleague over how to handle a class, a parent who is upset about a grade, a group project where one member is not contributing. The scenario dresses the judgment up in a classroom, but the underlying task is the same one every CASPer measures: notice what matters, weigh the people affected, and choose a practical, humane next step you can defend.
What the teacher education CASPer actually assesses
Programs use CASPer to see the non-academic qualities a transcript cannot show. Monash, for example, frames its Casper result around suitability for teaching, and looks for motivation to teach, strong interpersonal and communication skills, resilience and self-efficacy, conscientiousness, and organization. Those are the same professional behaviors a faculty of education wants to see in a future teacher, and they map cleanly onto how raters read your answers.
A practical consequence: do not perform empathy, demonstrate it through specific action. “I would support the student” says nothing. “I would speak with the student privately, listen without judging, and, if there were a safety concern, follow the school's reporting process while keeping them informed” shows the judgment the raters are trained to reward. Spelling and grammar are not scored on their own, so spend your time on substance, not polish.
How CASPer factors into teacher education admissions
It is one input among several, and no program we reviewed publishes a required score. Brock states that a confidential CASPer score is used alongside your academic score to determine your final candidate ranking, without disclosing a weight. Western makes CASPer mandatory and treats a missing result as an incomplete application, but likewise does not publish how heavily it counts. The honest read is that CASPer is used to rank and to screen, and that a strong result helps most when your academic profile is competitive but not exceptional.
Because the quartile is relative to other test takers and there is no fixed cutoff, the useful goal is not a magic number. It is to avoid the self-inflicted damage of a rushed, vague, or unfinished answer. For how quartiles are calculated and what they mean, see what a good CASPer score looks like.
How to register, step by step
Registration is where teacher education applicants most often trip, because the test codes are specific and the deadlines are early.
- Find your program's exact test code. Read the faculty's admissions page, not a forum. Brock lists CSP-10211; Western lists CSP-20209. Register for the one your program names.
- Have your reference details ready. Ontario applicants usually need their OUAC or TEAS reference number and a government-issued ID to register.
- Book early. Register at least three business days before your preferred sitting. Dates near application deadlines fill quickly, and the fee is non-refundable.
- Confirm distribution. Make sure your result is sent to every program that needs it, and check whether extra distributions cost more.
- Note the yearly retake rule. Results are valid for one admissions cycle, so if you reapply, you take CASPer again.
How to prepare for the teacher education CASPer
You cannot study content for CASPer, but you can prepare, and the two things worth preparing are the interface and your reasoning under a live clock. Start with Acuity's free official practice test to see the real timers and recording flow, then build reps.
- Learn the format cold. Take the official practice test once so nothing on test day is a surprise. Our CASPer study plan lays out a realistic two-week schedule.
- Drill both response modes. Practice typing two answers inside 3.5 minutes and recording a one-minute spoken answer without re-takes. These feel very different, and the video section is where most people freeze.
- Rehearse a scan, not a script. For each scenario, name the issue, name who is affected, choose an action, and say what would change your decision. That structure works for a classroom conflict exactly as well as a clinical one.
- Use teaching-context prompts. Practice on situations involving students, parents, and colleagues so the setting feels familiar. The judgment transfers, but the comfort helps.
CasperCoach generates timed scenarios and gives instant feedback on the things raters actually weigh: whether you answered the question, whether you considered the right people, and whether you committed to a clear action. It is general CASPer practice, not a teacher-specific answer bank, which is exactly what you want, because CASPer rewards your own judgment, not memorized lines.
Common mistakes teacher education applicants make
- Assuming TEAS means one CASPer. The application service is shared; the test requirement and code are not. Check each faculty.
- Registering for the wrong code. CSP-10211 and CSP-20209 are different products. Copy your program's code exactly.
- Treating it like an essay test. Raters reward clear judgment and specific action, not polished prose or big vocabulary.
- Skipping video practice. The one-minute recorded answer is the most unfamiliar part for most education applicants. Rehearse it out loud, on camera, before test day.
- Leaving it to the last week. Sittings fill up, and a missing result can make an entire application incomplete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do teacher education programs require the CASPer test?+
Some do, and the requirement is program-specific rather than automatic. Several Ontario consecutive Bachelor of Education programs (including Brock and Western), Vancouver Island University's B.Ed, and many Australian initial teacher education courses require CASPer. Others do not use it at all. Always confirm on the individual faculty's admissions page, because a school appearing in a general list does not mean every one of its education streams requires the test.
Which Ontario teacher education programs require CASPer?+
Ontario B.Ed programs apply through TEAS on OUAC, but CASPer is set by each faculty, not by TEAS centrally. Brock requires CAN Casper 2 (CSP-10211) for its Consecutive After-Degree B.Ed, and Western requires CASPer (CSP-20209) for all applicants, including direct-pathway applicants, and treats an application without a result as incomplete. Because codes and rules differ by school, check every program you apply to rather than assuming one code covers all of them.
Is the teacher education CASPer different from the medical one?+
The test itself is the same open-response situational judgment format, currently four video-response scenarios and seven typed-response scenarios in about 65 to 85 minutes. What changes is the context of the scenarios: teacher education applicants get more situations set in classrooms, staff rooms, and interactions with students, parents, and colleagues. The judgment skills being measured are the same, so the way you structure an answer does not change.
What is a good CASPer score for teacher education?+
There is no published cutoff. CASPer returns a quartile (first through fourth) relative to other test takers, and programs like Brock combine that confidential result with your academic score to rank candidates. No teacher education program we reviewed publishes a required quartile or a fixed percentage weight, so aim to answer clearly and completely rather than chasing a specific number.
How do I register for the teacher education CASPer?+
Register on the Acuity Insights site and pick the exact test your program names, because codes differ (Brock uses CSP-10211, Western uses CSP-20209). Ontario applicants usually need their OUAC or TEAS reference number and a government-issued ID. Book at least three business days before your preferred date, sittings fill quickly near deadlines, and the fee is non-refundable.
Can you prepare for the teacher education CASPer?+
Yes, in the sense that matters. You cannot memorize answers, but you can remove the two things that actually cost points: unfamiliarity with the timed interface and untrained reasoning under pressure. Take Acuity's free practice test to learn the format, then do timed reps on teaching-context scenarios so you can produce a clear, decisive answer inside the clock instead of freezing.