diff --git a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/test_admin.py b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/test_admin.py
index 719dc0d0e63d66f1777d5b36cb0481f6e536da8f..dd5985da441286adc1b1fd3edfb835e1539a35c2 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/test_admin.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/test_admin.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class Oauth2ProviderConfigAdminTest(testutil.TestCase):
         provider1 = self.configure_dummy_provider(
             enabled=True,
             icon_class='',
-            icon_image=SimpleUploadedFile('icon.svg', '<svg><rect width="50" height="100"/></svg>'),
+            icon_image=SimpleUploadedFile('icon.svg', b'<svg><rect width="50" height="100"/></svg>'),
         )
 
         # Get the provider instance with active flag
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_models.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_models.py
index cecd3d1caeb03a4a8e244f838d5e47324aa9ce62..58ef5b4871875201ac5a20185965be3ca033ce93 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tests/test_models.py
@@ -180,17 +180,17 @@ class CertificateTemplateAssetTest(TestCase):
         """
         CertificateTemplateAsset(description='test description', asset=SimpleUploadedFile(
             'picture1.jpg',
-            'these are the file contents!')).save()
+            b'these are the file contents!')).save()
         certificate_template_asset = CertificateTemplateAsset.objects.get(id=1)
         self.assertEqual(certificate_template_asset.asset, 'certificate_template_assets/1/picture1.jpg')
 
         # Now save asset with same file again, New file will be uploaded after deleting the old one with the same name.
-        certificate_template_asset.asset = SimpleUploadedFile('picture1.jpg', 'file contents')
+        certificate_template_asset.asset = SimpleUploadedFile('picture1.jpg', b'file contents')
         certificate_template_asset.save()
         self.assertEqual(certificate_template_asset.asset, 'certificate_template_assets/1/picture1.jpg')
 
         # Now replace the asset with another file
-        certificate_template_asset.asset = SimpleUploadedFile('picture2.jpg', 'file contents')
+        certificate_template_asset.asset = SimpleUploadedFile('picture2.jpg', b'file contents')
         certificate_template_asset.save()
 
         certificate_template_asset = CertificateTemplateAsset.objects.get(id=1)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_api.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_api.py
index c12da705fffe81059198afca93068d464390e8ea..69c5669ad681e5aeb5c78736dbd086e601360228 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_api.py
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         """
         Happy path test to create a single new user
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -718,8 +718,8 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         If the email address and username already exists
         and the user is enrolled in the course, do nothing (including no email gets sent out)
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
+        csv_content = b"test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         """
         Try uploading a CSV file which does not have the exact four columns of data
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student@example.com,test_student_1\n"
+        csv_content = b"test_student@example.com,test_student_1\n"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -788,8 +788,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         """
         Test failure case of a poorly formatted email field
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student.example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
-
+        csv_content = b"test_student.example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         data = json.loads(response.content.decode('utf-8'))
@@ -808,8 +807,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         If the email address and username already exists
         and the user is not enrolled in the course, enrolled him/her and iterate to next one.
         """
-        csv_content = "nonenrolled@test.com,NotEnrolledStudent,tester1,USA"
-
+        csv_content = b"nonenrolled@test.com,NotEnrolledStudent,tester1,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -827,8 +825,8 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         If the email address already exists, but the username is different,
         assume it is the correct user and just register the user in the course.
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student@example.com,test_student_2,tester2,US"
+        csv_content = b"test_student@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student@example.com,test_student_2,tester2,US"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
@@ -862,7 +860,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         user.is_active = False
         user.save()
 
-        csv_content = "{email},{username},tester,USA".format(email=conflicting_email, username='new_test_student')
+        csv_content = b"{email},{username},tester,USA".format(email=conflicting_email, username='new_test_student')
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
@@ -880,8 +878,8 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         If the username already exists (but not the email),
         assume it is a different user and fail to create the new account.
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
 
@@ -895,8 +893,8 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         """
         Test when the user does not attach a file
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
 
@@ -913,8 +911,8 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         """
         Test that exceptions are handled well
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,test_student_1,tester2,US"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         with patch('lms.djangoapps.instructor.views.api.create_manual_course_enrollment') as mock:
@@ -947,10 +945,10 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         user.is_active = False
         user.save()
 
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student3@example.com,test_student_1,tester3,CA\n" \
-                      "test_student4@example.com,test_student_4,tester4,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,test_student_2,tester2,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student3@example.com,test_student_1,tester3,CA\n" \
+                      b"test_student4@example.com,test_student_4,tester4,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,test_student_2,tester2,USA"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
@@ -985,7 +983,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
 
     @patch.dict(settings.FEATURES, {'ALLOW_AUTOMATED_SIGNUPS': False})
     def test_allow_automated_signups_flag_not_set(self):
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test_student_1,tester1,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
         self.assertEquals(response.status_code, 403)
@@ -1001,7 +999,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         # Login Audit Course instructor
         self.client.login(username=self.audit_course_instructor.username, password='test')
 
-        csv_content = "test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.audit_course_url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
 
@@ -1032,7 +1030,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         # Login Audit Course instructor
         self.client.login(username=self.white_label_course_instructor.username, password='test')
 
-        csv_content = "test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.white_label_course_url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
 
@@ -1058,7 +1056,7 @@ class TestInstructorAPIBulkAccountCreationAndEnrollment(SharedModuleStoreTestCas
         # Login white label course instructor
         self.client.login(username=self.white_label_course_instructor.username, password='test')
 
-        csv_content = "test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
+        csv_content = b"test_student_wl@example.com,test_student_wl,Test Student,USA"
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)
         response = self.client.post(self.white_label_course_url, {'students_list': uploaded_file})
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_certificates.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_certificates.py
index 96c8118bb6f4656f3a2d0e96bd75b98b731901b3..6d3104823d577f840932783740e5baa331f0bb2a 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_certificates.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_certificates.py
@@ -928,8 +928,8 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
         """
         Happy path test to create a single new white listed record
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,dummy_notes"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,dummy_notes"
         data = self.upload_file(csv_content=csv_content)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['general_errors']), 0)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['row_errors']['data_format_error']), 0)
@@ -943,8 +943,8 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
         """
         Try uploading a CSV file with invalid data formats and verify the errors.
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,test,1,USA\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,test,1"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,test,1,USA\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,test,1"
 
         data = self.upload_file(csv_content=csv_content)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['row_errors']['data_format_error']), 2)
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
         """
         Test failure case of a poorly formatted email field
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student.example.com,dummy_notes"
+        csv_content = b"test_student.example.com,dummy_notes"
 
         data = self.upload_file(csv_content=csv_content)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['row_errors']['user_not_exist']), 1)
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
         """
         If the user is not enrolled in the course then there should be a user_not_enrolled error.
         """
-        csv_content = "nonenrolled@test.com,dummy_notes"
+        csv_content = b"nonenrolled@test.com,dummy_notes"
 
         data = self.upload_file(csv_content=csv_content)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['row_errors']['user_not_enrolled']), 1)
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
             whitelist=True,
             notes=''
         )
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes"
         data = self.upload_file(csv_content=csv_content)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['row_errors']['user_already_white_listed']), 1)
         self.assertEquals(len(data['general_errors']), 0)
@@ -1018,8 +1018,8 @@ class TestCertificatesInstructorApiBulkWhiteListExceptions(SharedModuleStoreTest
         """
         Test when the user does not attach a file
         """
-        csv_content = "test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes\n" \
-                      "test_student2@example.com,dummy_notes"
+        csv_content = b"test_student1@example.com,dummy_notes\n" \
+                      b"test_student2@example.com,dummy_notes"
 
         uploaded_file = SimpleUploadedFile("temp.csv", csv_content)