The CASPer test Ontario students hear about in Grade 11 and 12 is an online situational judgment test that some competitive university programs use alongside your admission average. Before applying to competitive Ontario programs, it’s also important to understand how the OUAC application process works, since CASPer registration and application deadlines often run alongside your university application timeline. It is not a university-wide requirement. It applies only to specific programs, like certain medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, and Western Engineering admissions, and the list changes every year, so you need to verify it directly with each program before you apply.
Quick Answer
CASPer stands for Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics. It is a roughly 90 to 110 minute online test built by Acuity Insights that measures qualities like ethics, communication, and empathy through short written and video scenarios. In Ontario, it is required by specific programs, not by universities as a whole, including McMaster and Queen’s MD programs, several physical therapy and occupational therapy programs, University of Toronto’s PharmD program, and Western University’s Faculty of Engineering for all its applicants. Because program lists change yearly, always confirm current requirements on OUAC’s CASPer FAQ page and the program’s own admissions page before you register.
Key Highlights
• CASPer is a situational judgment test, not an academic test. It does not ask about biology, physics, or math content.
• The test runs about 90 to 110 minutes and includes roughly 14 scenario-based sections mixing typed and video responses.
• Base cost is around 85 to 89 USD, which covers sending scores to a set number of programs, usually seven, with extra fees per additional program.
• You can only take CASPer once per test type per admissions cycle, so timing your first attempt matters.
• Ontario programs known to require it include specific medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pharmacy programs, plus Western Engineering for every applicant.
• Requirements are set by individual programs, not universities as a whole, and they change yearly, so confirm before you assume anything.
• CASPer and OUAC ranking are two completely separate admissions mechanisms and should never be confused.
What Is the CASPer Test Ontario? Meaning, Purpose & What It Measures
CASPer stands for Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics. Acuity Insights, formerly known as Altus Assessments, built and runs the test.
It was designed to give admissions committees a window into qualities that a transcript cannot show. Things like how you handle conflict, how you communicate under pressure, and how you think through an ethical gray area.
Unlike a physics exam or an English essay, there is no content to memorize. You cannot cram for CASPer the way you cram for a chemistry unit test.
That does not mean you cannot prepare. Building a competitive application also starts with choosing the right Grade 12 courses. Students planning for medicine, pharmacy, engineering, or rehabilitation programs should review their Grade 12 course options early to ensure they meet university prerequisites. Understanding the format and practicing timed responses still helps a lot, which is exactly why this guide exists.
CASPer Test Format Ontario: Duration, Questions & Scoring Explained
CASPer runs online and takes roughly 90 to 110 minutes for the standard version, according to Acuity Insights and OUAC’s official CASPer FAQ page. Some program-specific versions run shorter, closer to 65 to 85 minutes.
The test is built from about 14 scenario-based sections. Each one presents a short situation, often an ethical dilemma or an interpersonal conflict, and asks how you would respond.
Some sections require a typed response. Others require you to record a short video answer on your webcam. Both formats appear within a fixed time limit per section, so you cannot go back and rewrite an earlier answer once time runs out.
For example, the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy uses a version of CASPer with six video-response scenarios and eight typed-response scenarios, according to the faculty’s own admissions pages. That mix varies by which CASPer test type a program requires.
There is no right or wrong answer in the way a math problem has one. Trained raters score your responses on things like reasoning, empathy, and communication clarity.
CASPer Test Cost in Ontario (2026): Registration Fees & Additional Charges
The base fee for CASPer runs around 85 to 89 USD. That base fee usually covers sending your scores to a set number of programs, commonly seven.
If you are applying to more than seven programs that require CASPer, expect an added fee of roughly 18 to 20 USD per extra program. Exact current pricing should always be confirmed on takecasper.com before you register, since fees can shift year to year.
How Many Times Can You Take the CASPer Test in Ontario?
You can only take CASPer once per admissions cycle per test type. There is no retake if you have a bad section or technical glitch mid-test, which is why timing your first attempt matters so much.
Registration happens through takecasper.com, and you will need your OUAC reference number to link your results to your application. Getting that reference number set up early, through a process like the one covered on USCA’s OUAC application guidance, avoids a last-minute scramble before your test date.
How to Prepare for the CASPer Test Ontario?
You cannot study content for CASPer, but you can still get ready in ways that matter. Practicing under a timer is the single most useful thing you can do before test day.
Try writing timed responses to sample ethical scenarios, giving yourself the same short window CASPer gives you per section. This builds the habit of thinking fast and organizing an answer without over-editing it.
If your target program requires video responses, practice speaking your answer out loud on camera, not just typing it. Many students find the video format more stressful than the typed one simply because they have not tried it before.
Read through Acuity Insights’ own test guides and sample questions before your registered date. They explain the scoring approach and give you a realistic sense of what a scenario actually looks like.
Finally, treat your test-day setup seriously. A stable internet connection, a quiet room, and a working webcam matter just as much as your reasoning, since a technical interruption can cost you time you cannot get back.
Which Ontario University Programs Require CASPer Test (2026)
This is the part students want a straight answer on, and the honest answer has a caveat built in. CASPer requirements are set program by program, not university by university, with one clear exception explained below.
The table below reflects verified program requirements as of the 2026-27 admissions cycle research for this post. Requirements shift year to year, so treat this as a starting point, not a final answer, and always verify directly with OUAC and the program.
| Program area | Example Ontario programs | Application route | CASPer required? |
| Medicine (MD) | McMaster University, Queen’s University | OMSAS | Yes, for these programs |
| Rehabilitation science | University of Ottawa and other ORPAS-affiliated programs | ORPAS | Yes, for participating programs |
| Physical therapy | Queen’s University, University of Toronto, Western University | ORPAS or program-specific | Yes, for these programs |
| Occupational therapy | Western University, University of Toronto | ORPAS or program-specific | Yes, for these programs |
| Pharmacy | University of Toronto (Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy) PharmD | OUAC/program-specific | Yes, confirmed for current PharmD cycle |
| Engineering | Western University, Faculty of Engineering | OUAC 105 | Yes, for all applicants starting the 2024/25 cycle |
| Most other undergraduate programs | Business, arts and science, most engineering faculties outside Western | OUAC 101/105 | Not required, unless the specific program says otherwise |
A few things stand out in this table. First, notice that CASPer shows up heavily in health and rehabilitation fields, where communication and ethical judgment matter daily on the job. Second, Western Engineering is the outlier on this list because it applies the requirement to every single applicant to that faculty, not just a subset of competitive candidates.
According to Acuity Insights’ own announcement, Western University’s Faculty of Engineering was the first engineering program in Canada to adopt CASPer as part of holistic admissions, starting with the 2024/25 admissions cycle, and it has continued the requirement into the 2026/27 cycle. That is a university-level policy for that specific faculty, not a general statement about Western as a whole, so do not assume it applies to Western’s other programs.
Some teacher education programs have also started requiring CASPer. Brock University’s Consecutive Teacher Education program is one confirmed example for the current cycle. If you are considering a Bachelor of Education pathway alongside a competitive program, check that program’s admissions page too, since teacher education CASPer use is expanding separately from the medicine and rehabilitation science pattern.
Admission averages are still the primary selection factor for most universities. Learn how Ontario universities calculate your Top 6 Grade 12 courses for admission.
Always Verify CASPer Requirements Before Applying Through OUAC
Do not read this table and assume CASPer applies broadly to Ontario university admissions. It does not. It is a program-specific requirement layered on top of your regular application, and the list of participating programs changes almost every year as more schools adopt or drop it.
Before you register for CASPer, or decide you can skip it, do two things. Check OUAC’s CASPer FAQ page (ouac.on.ca/faq/casper-test-dates/) for the current list of participating programs. Then check the specific program’s own admissions page directly, because OUAC does not administer CASPer itself and program-level details can differ from the general list.
This matters because CASPer registration and test windows have deadlines separate from your regular OUAC application deadline. Missing a CASPer window can knock you out of consideration for a program even if your grades and OUAC application were submitted on time.
CASPer Test vs OUAC Admission Process: What’s the Difference?
Students sometimes mix up CASPer with OUAC’s “highest year level achieved” ranking rule, but they are completely separate systems that measure different things. It helps to be clear about this early, since confusing them can lead to wasted prep time on the wrong thing.
OUAC ranking determines which year of study (Grade 11 marks, Grade 12 midterm marks, or Grade 12 final marks) a university considers when calculating your admission average, based on rules explained in posts like USCA’s coverage of whether McMaster cares about OUAC ranking for admissions. That is purely about which set of grades gets used.
CASPer, by contrast, has nothing to do with which year of grades a university looks at. It is a separate, non-academic assessment that some specific programs bolt onto their admissions process to evaluate character and judgment.
You could have a perfect OUAC ranking situation and still need to complete CASPer if you are applying to a program like Western Engineering or a PharmD program that requires it. The two systems run in parallel, not as substitutes for each other. If you want to understand OUAC ranking rules for other Ontario schools, USCA’s posts on whether Western cares about OUAC ranking and whether Queen’s cares about OUAC ranking cover that mechanism in detail, separate from anything discussed here.
Should You Take the CASPer Test Ontario? Key Factors to Consider
If none of your target programs require CASPer, you do not need to take it. There is no general benefit to completing it voluntarily for a program that does not ask for it, and it costs money and time you could spend elsewhere.
If even one program on your list requires it, you need a plan. Here is an honest look at the tradeoffs involved.
The upside. CASPer gives you a chance to demonstrate qualities that your transcript and OUAC application cannot show, like ethical reasoning and communication under pressure. For competitive programs like medicine or Western Engineering, a strong CASPer score can meaningfully strengthen a borderline academic application.
The cost and time commitment. Between the base fee, potential extra program fees, and the roughly 90 to 110 minutes of testing time, CASPer is a real investment. You should budget for it the same way you budget for OUAC application fees.
The one-shot pressure. Because you can only take CASPer once per cycle per test type, there is no retake if you have an off day or a technical issue. That single-attempt structure is genuinely stressful for some students, and it is worth practicing timed scenario responses beforehand so the format itself is not a surprise.
The moving target problem. Because program requirements change yearly, a student who assumes “my program does not need CASPer” based on last year’s information could be wrong. The safest habit is to recheck every program’s current requirement every single application cycle, not just once in Grade 11.
It is not a universal Ontario requirement. This is worth repeating because it is the single most common misunderstanding. Most Ontario university programs do not require CASPer at all. Do not add unnecessary prep time to your plate for programs that never asked for it.
When Should Ontario Students Take the CASPer Test? Planning Timeline
If you are in Grade 11 or Grade 12 and thinking about competitive programs like medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, or Western Engineering, the smartest move is to check CASPer requirements early, not the week applications open. That gives you time to register, prepare, and avoid conflicts with test dates and your regular coursework schedule.
This is exactly the kind of forward planning USCA Academy’s University Preparation Program is built around. Guidance staff help students map out which programs on their shortlist carry extra requirements like CASPer, so nothing gets missed between building a strong Grade 12 course load and submitting a competitive OUAC application.
Because class sizes at USCA run between 5 and 15 students, guidance counsellors can spend real time walking individual students through program-specific requirements like CASPer, rather than covering it once in a general assembly. That kind of one-on-one planning matters most for students aiming at highly competitive programs where every part of the application counts.
If you are still finalizing your senior course selections while also researching program requirements like CASPer, USCA’s Grade 12 course planning support and OUAC application guidance work together so you are not juggling both processes alone. Strong prerequisite courses through USCA’s course catalogue still matter just as much as program-specific requirements like CASPer, since your admission average remains the primary factor for most programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Do All Ontario Universities Require the CASPer Test?
No. CASPer is required by specific programs, not universities as a whole. Most Ontario undergraduate programs never ask for it. Always check the individual program’s admissions page to confirm.
2.Can You Retake the CASPer Test?
No, not within the same admissions cycle. You can only take a given CASPer test type once per cycle, so there is no do-over if something goes wrong on test day.
3.How much does CASPer cost in total?
Expect a base fee of roughly 85 to 89 USD, which typically sends scores to about seven programs. Extra programs beyond that usually cost an additional 18 to 20 USD each, though you should confirm current pricing on takecasper.com.
4.Is the CASPer Test Part of the OUAC Application?
No. OUAC ranking determines which year of grades a university uses to calculate your admission average. CASPer is a separate, non-academic situational judgment test that specific programs require alongside your application.
5.Does Western Engineering really require CASPer for everyone?
Yes, according to Acuity Insights and Western’s own engineering admissions page, Western’s Faculty of Engineering requires CASPer from all applicants, starting with the 2024/25 cycle and continuing into 2026/27. That is different from most other programs, which only require it for select competitive streams.
6.Where do I find the current, official list of programs that require CASPer?
Check OUAC’s CASPer FAQ page at ouac.on.ca/faq/casper-test-dates/ first, then confirm on the specific program’s own admissions page, since program-level requirements can differ from any general list, including this one.
