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For M28 students: IB exams in May 2028, starting DP1 in August 2026.
CAS interview 1 is an early planning conversation with your CAS coordinator or adviser, not an examination requiring perfect answers. It checks your understanding of CAS, helps you identify suitable experiences and goals, and establishes how you will document progress.
Expect to discuss your interests, strengths, challenges, initial Creativity, Activity and Service experiences, and possible CAS projects. You do not need a completed portfolio. You need realistic ideas, honest questions and a willingness to develop your plans.
What is the purpose of CAS interview 1?
According to the IB's CAS subject brief, students complete three formal documented interviews: at the beginning of CAS, toward the end of the first year, and at the end of the programme.
The first establishes your starting point. Your coordinator wants to understand your interests, what you hope to learn, and whether your plans are manageable alongside academic commitments.
The discussion normally covers:
Your understanding of Creativity, Activity and Service.
Personal strengths and areas for development.
Initial experiences and relevant learning outcomes.
Evidence, reflection and portfolio arrangements.
Possible collaborative projects and practical obstacles.
CAS receives no numerical grade, but successful completion is required for the IB Diploma. The IB CAS overview explains its broader purpose; RevisionDojo's guide to how CAS is marked provides further context.
What happens during the first interview?
Expect a structured conversation rather than rapid test questions. You may explain the three strands, outline possible experiences, discuss your timetable, and ask about school procedures. If you have already started, your adviser may ask what you have noticed or learned.
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Specific, realistic answers are more useful than impressive promises. A sustainable weekly swimming plan with a clear fitness goal gives your adviser more to discuss than an ambitious activity without a schedule.
Your school determines the appointment date, duration, platform and preparation forms. Confirm local deadlines and procedures rather than assuming another school's arrangements apply.
Typical CAS interview questions
Prepare ideas rather than memorized scripts. Questions vary, but these examples show the reasoning your adviser may explore.
Area
Possible question
What to prepare
Understanding
What do the three strands mean?
Explain each in your own words.
Interests
What do you enjoy outside lessons?
Identify sustainable starting points.
Growth
What would you like to improve?
Name a strength and a development goal.
Challenge
What might stretch your abilities?
Explain why it would be demanding.
Planning
How will CAS fit your timetable?
Consider commitments and likely conflicts.
Evidence
How will you show your learning?
Suggest records and meaningful reflections.
Service
What community need could you address?
Explain how you would investigate it.
Project
What could you develop collaboratively?
Bring provisional ideas and possible partners.
If transport, sports seasons or examinations could interrupt participation, explain how you might adapt. Identifying a difficulty demonstrates awareness, not failure.
What should you bring?
The IB requires documented interviews, not one universal preparation folder. Follow your school's instructions; the materials below are recommendations.
A preliminary plan
List proposed experiences, relevant strands, likely schedules and intended learning. Plans can change after feedback, so prioritize feasibility over presentation.
A few sustained experiences usually offer more scope for development than many disconnected commitments. Use RevisionDojo's advice on choosing first CAS activities without overcommitting to check your workload.
Any early evidence
Useful evidence includes dated plans, supervisor confirmation, practice records, meeting notes, drafts and short reflections. Include photographs only where consent and school safeguarding rules allow.
Evidence establishes what happened; reflection explains its significance. A photograph alone rarely demonstrates learning, while an unsupported reflection may lack context. This guide to building an authentic CAS portfolio explains that distinction.
Initial project ideas
Bring 2-3 possible ideas, not a finished project. For each, identify the purpose, potential collaborators, resources, risks and someone you could contact.
The CAS project is a collaborative, planned series of experiences lasting at least one month, from planning through completion. It is not simply an isolated volunteering session. For service-based ideas, investigate an authentic need before choosing a solution; see choosing a CAS project with real community impact.
How to prepare effectively
Review the seven CAS learning outcomes: identifying strengths and growth areas; undertaking challenges and developing skills; initiating and planning experiences; showing commitment and perseverance; collaborating; engaging with issues of global significance; and considering the ethics of choices and actions.
Across CAS, your portfolio must provide evidence of all seven. Every individual experience does not need to address every outcome, and one experience may involve multiple strands.
Connect plans to personal growth. Instead of saying “do more service,” explain that you intend to contact a local organization, investigate its needs, and contribute regularly while developing communication skills.
Prepare questions about:
Required portfolio platforms and documentation frequency.
Supervisor eligibility and advance approval.
Photograph consent, safeguarding and risk assessments.
Project planning expectations and later interview deadlines.
These questions clarify school procedures, which should not be confused with universal IB rules.
How to answer CAS interview questions clearly
A strong answer usually has three parts: your current position, a specific example, and your next step. If asked about a challenge, for example, you might explain that speaking to unfamiliar groups is difficult, identify a planned tutoring activity, and state how you will monitor improvement through supervisor feedback and reflection. This structure shows self-awareness without turning the interview into a rehearsed performance.
When discussing an experience, distinguish the activity from the learning. “I attend basketball practice twice a week” describes participation. “I am working on communication under pressure by taking responsibility for warm-ups and reviewing team feedback” explains purpose and potential evidence. Your plans may change later, but they should already connect action with development.
If you cannot answer a question, say what you still need to investigate. You might need to confirm whether an organization accepts students, whether an adult supervisor is available, or whether transport makes regular participation realistic. Give a date or concrete action for finding out. A credible next step is stronger than pretending uncertainty does not exist.
First CAS interview checklist
Before the meeting, check that:
I can explain the three strands.
I have identified strengths and growth areas.
My initial experiences fit my timetable.
I can suggest relevant learning outcomes.
I have available plans or early evidence.
I have provisional collaborative project ideas.
I know what approval questions to ask.
I have questions about documentation and deadlines.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not invent experiences, exaggerate your role or attach every outcome to every activity. Coordinators want honest development, not a perfect portfolio at the beginning of DP1.
Do not reduce CAS to accumulating hours. The IB subject brief specifies regular engagement for at least 18 months, with a reasonable balance across strands, rather than a universal hourly quota.
Avoid oversized project promises. Investigation, collaboration and sustained action matter more than scale. RevisionDojo's guide to building a CAS project from scratch offers a planning starting point.
Conclusion
Prepare for CAS interview 1 by understanding the requirements, bringing realistic plans and available evidence, and asking about school procedures. You should leave with clearer goals and agreed next actions, not a completed CAS programme.
For further preparation, use RevisionDojo's CAS planning and portfolio guides to refine your experiences and organize evidence.
