What Is the CASPer Test? A Plain-English Guide for 2026–27

CASPer at a glance

If you only need the essentials, this table covers the standard 2026–27 test. The full CASPer format guide goes deeper on sections, breaks and timers.

What does CASPer stand for, and who runs it?

CASPer stands for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics. It was developed in the early 2000s at McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences to add a measure of personal and professional judgment to medical school admissions, according to the Canadian Medical Association's overview.

Today the test is delivered by Acuity Insights, the company formerly called Altus Assessments. Acuity now styles the name “Casper”; applicants and schools still commonly write CASPer, and both refer to the same test. You register, book and see your result in your Acuity Insights account, which is why older guides mention the “Altus Suite” or takealtus.com. Our Altus Suite explainer untangles the old names.

What does the CASPer test measure?

CASPer measures how you approach realistic interpersonal and professional situations: what you notice, which perspectives you consider, what you would do and why. Acuity describes it as an open-response test of social intelligence and professionalism, and programs use it alongside grades, knowledge exams, essays and references (Acuity, About Casper).

The CMA overview lists the attributes CASPer is designed to sample:

Scenarios are everyday dilemmas, such as a teammate missing deadlines or a friend asking you to bend a rule, not tests of medicine or any specialty. You will not be asked to diagnose anyone or recite a policy. For how raters turn these attributes into a judgment, see what CASPer actually scores.

What happens during the CASPer test?

You answer 11 scenarios in a fixed order: four video-response scenarios first, then seven typed-response scenarios. Each scenario is either a short video or a written prompt, followed by two questions. You cannot go back to an earlier scenario. Here is the sequence in Acuity's 2026–27 format article:

1. Read or watch the scenario. Video scenarios open with a role prompt, such as “you are a co-worker.”
2. Optional 30-second reflection. Use it to decide your position before the clock starts.
3. Video section: two questions shown one at a time, a 10-second countdown, then up to one minute to record each spoken answer. Each recording is a single take.
4. Optional 10-minute break after the video section.
5. Typed section: both questions appear together and share one 3.5-minute timer. See how fast you need to type.
6. Optional 5-minute break after the fourth typed scenario, then the last three typed scenarios.

Speech-to-text tools are not allowed unless Acuity approves them as an accommodation. Australian teacher education programs use a shorter version with two video and six typed scenarios.

How is CASPer scored?

Trained human raters score CASPer, not AI, and you receive a quartile that shows how your responses compared with others on the same test type. According to Acuity's scoring article:

• Each scenario goes to a different rater, and no rater scores the same applicant more than once.
• One rater reads both questions in a scenario with its full context, but scores each question independently.
• Responses are anonymized; raters do not see your name, age or photo.
• Raters focus on the substance of your answer, not grammar or spelling.
• Ratings are averaged, then standardized against the applicant pool.

Applicants are usually emailed a quartile about four to five weeks after the test (Acuity quartile article). Programs receive the score itself and decide how to use it, for example as an early filter, an interview-invitation factor or part of final ranking (Acuity). Read CASPer scoring explained and what counts as a good CASPer score for detail.

Who has to take CASPer?

You take CASPer only if a program you are applying to requires it, and you must take the specific test type that program names. Acuity groups programs by country, language and program family. For the 2026–27 cycle its Dates and Fees tool shows, for example:

A CASPer score counts only for the test type you took, so an applicant to both Canadian nursing and Canadian medicine may need two tests. Use our guides to choose between Casper 1 and Casper 2, medical schools that require CASPer and CASPer for nursing school, then confirm every program on its own admissions page.

Outdated CASPer claims vs current facts

Much of what ranks for “CASPer test” was written for earlier versions. Several widely read guides still describe 12 to 14 scenarios and a 90-plus-minute sitting. Check any claim you read against this list, which reflects Acuity's own 2026–27 documentation.

Your CASPer path in six steps

Most problems applicants hit are logistical: the wrong test type, a missed distribution deadline or a late accommodation request. Work through these steps in order.

1. Confirm the requirement and the test type for every program on your list, including any Duet request.
2. Create your Acuity Insights account using a government-issued photo ID and the same name and email as your applications. See how to register for CASPer.
3. Pick a date before your earliest distribution deadline. Acuity recommends booking at least three days ahead, and accommodation paperwork is due four weeks before your test. Our CASPer test dates guide lists the 2026–27 sittings.
4. Add every program to your distribution list with any ID it asks for, such as an OMSAS, AAMC or CaRMS number. Check the CASPer fees for extra distributions.
5. Practise under the real timers, including Acuity's free official practice test and the system check.
6. Take the test, then wait about four to five weeks for your quartile while programs receive your score.

Can you prepare for CASPer?

You cannot study content for CASPer, but you can prepare for the format. Acuity recommends getting familiar with the test structure and technical requirements and taking its free practice test as often as you like. It also states that its research shows third-party coaching can hinder scores compared with its free resources (Acuity), so start with the official material.

What practice can realistically build is comfort with the clock: deciding your position during the reflection period, answering both typed questions inside 3.5 minutes and speaking a complete answer in one minute without notes. CasperCoach is an independent practice tool, not affiliated with Acuity, and its feedback is not an official score. If you want a plan, our two-week CASPer study plan and sample questions with model answers are good places to begin.

Sources and scope

Checked October 15, 2026 against Acuity's format and length article (updated March 11, 2026), scoring article, quartile article, About Casper page and Dates and Fees tool, plus the CMA overview for the test's origin and attributes. Formats, fees and requirements can change between cycles; your Acuity account and each program's admissions page are the final word. CasperCoach is independent of Acuity Insights, and Acuity does not endorse third-party preparation.