Kira Talent is the admissions platform many business schools and universities use for timed one-way video and written questions. Each video question plays once, you get a short prep time and then a response time, and you have one attempt per question in the real assessment, though practice is unlimited. This page explains what Kira Talent is, what the interview is like, what it scores, the rules and practicalities, and how to prepare. We researched Kira Talent's own candidate pages and independent reports in November 2026; employers configure these tools differently, so your invitation has the final word.
What Kira Talent is
Kira Talent is based in Toronto, and ETS took a majority stake in November 2021. Schools set the questions, timings and steps, and their admissions reviewers rate the answers on Kira's review platform against their own rubrics; Kira does not describe AI scoring of applicants. Kira's 2025 applicant report says more than 290,000 applicants rated their experience, at an average of 4.6 out of 5.
Who uses it: INSEAD, Berkeley Haas, Northwestern Kellogg, the University of Michigan, Imperial College London, Rotman, Boston University Questrom and McMaster Engineering, among schools Kira names.
What the interview is like
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Format | Asynchronous video and written questions, with no live interviewer; some schools add other question types, and some use Kira for live interviews |
| How you get it | An email from the school or Kira asking you to check in; checking in does not start the assessment |
| Deadline | Shown as "Your response is due by"; you can come back any time before it, and one school we checked gives seven days |
| Length | Allow 15 to 30 minutes for check-in; an Assessment Details slide shows the number of questions and expected duration |
| Timing | Video: prep time, then response time, with the question on screen; written: no prep time but usually a longer response time |
Who reviews it and what they look for
- Your school's admissions reviewers watch and read your answers and rate them against the school's own rubric.
- Kira does not describe AI scoring of applicants; some third-party directories claim it, which we could not confirm.
- One school's guide says Kira tracks suspicious or fraudulent behavior and reports it to the school.
Rules and practicalities
- One attempt per question with no replay in the real assessment; practice questions are unlimited, private and not evaluated.
- Answers submit automatically when time runs out, and you can submit early.
- Exact prep and response seconds are set by each school; consultant reports for INSEAD cite 45 seconds to prepare and 60 to answer, but check your own Assessment Details.
- If you see a connection or recording error, click Try again to continue where you left off; a redo after a problem is at the admissions committee's discretion.
- Supported: Chrome (recommended), Firefox, Edge and Safari 17 or later on desktop, and Chrome on Android or Safari 17 or later on iPhone and iPad. Windows 10 in S Mode is not supported. You need a front-facing camera and broadband or 3G, 4G or LTE.
- Some older school guides say phones and Safari are not supported; follow Kira's current page and your school's instructions.
How to prepare
- Check in early, even if you record later, so any setup problem surfaces before the deadline.
- Use the practice questions until the prep-then-answer rhythm feels normal.
- Update your operating system and browser, and turn off extensions such as grammar checkers and ad blockers, as Kira advises.
- Silence your phone and watch, and use a plain background with your face and shoulders in frame.
- Prepare short, true stories for why this program, why now, a challenge you handled and a team experience; Kira says concise, authentic answers beat scripted ones.
Answering well on a one-way recording
- Use the prep time to pick one example and its result, not to write a script.
- Aim to finish a little before the answer timer runs out; a clipped ending reads worse than a short answer.
- Look at the camera lens, not at your own preview, and keep your face and shoulders in frame.
- Reviewers watch many recordings in a row, so lead with your point and then give the evidence.
For a free practice routine, see how to practice for a video interview. Other platforms work differently, so compare what a one-way video interview is, time limits in one-way video interviews and the Hireflix interview.
Your rights and what happens next
After you submit, your answers go to the school's admissions team with the rest of your application, and decisions follow the program's published timeline, not a fixed number of days after the assessment. If a technical problem affected an answer, write to the admissions office promptly with what happened; a redo is at the committee's discretion.
You can ask the school how long recordings are kept and who reviews them. If you need an accommodation, such as extra time, ask the admissions office before you start, since timings are set per question.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
One-way recorded interviews are rounds you take on your own, and they almost always forbid outside help; some log tab switches, pasted text or a second voice. So the useful preparation is practice. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview builds questions from your résumé and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of ten, which is close to how many automated interviews work. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. On the day, follow your employer's rules and the instructions in your invitation.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Kira Talent interview?
It depends on the school. Kira says to allow 15 to 30 minutes for check-in, and the Assessment Details slide shows the number of questions and time; one school estimates 40 to 50 minutes in total.
Can I retake a Kira Talent question?
Not in the real assessment: each question allows one attempt with no replay. Practice is unlimited, and redo requests after technical problems go to the admissions committee.
Does checking in start my Kira assessment?
No. Kira says checking in does not start the assessment; you can return any time before the deadline.
Is Kira Talent scored by AI?
Kira describes school reviewers rating answers with rubrics on its platform and does not describe AI scoring of applicants.
Can I use an AI assistant during my Kira Talent interview?
No. One-way recorded interviews are meant to be answered on your own, and reviewers watch the recording. Practice beforehand instead, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview