InitialView, Vericant, and Kira Talent: Third-Party Video Interviews for US Admissions

What these companies actually do

InitialView, Vericant, and Kira Talent are private companies, separate from any single university's admissions office. You pay to record an interview or assessment once through the vendor's own platform, then send the same recording to every college on your list that accepts that vendor. This differs from a school's own admissions interview, which is free, arranged directly with the school, and specific to that one application.

InitialView

InitialView records a live, unscripted conversation with an InitialView interviewer in real time, with no pre-set script. The format tests spontaneous spoken English rather than rehearsed answers. The recording uploads to InitialView's platform, where admissions officers view it directly. InitialView states its interviews have been part of applications sent to more than 400 academic programs worldwide.

Vericant

Vericant focuses on applicants to US boarding schools and colleges from outside the country. It offers a recorded, in-person interview plus a writing sample, and for younger applicants a Spoken English Evaluation score. Vericant's own list shows nearly 100 universities accept the undergraduate Vericant interview.

Kira Talent

Kira Talent works differently from the other two. Instead of a live conversation, you record timed, on-demand video responses and timed written assessments on your own schedule within a set window. Kira Talent is used by more than 1,100 programs worldwide, most heavily in graduate business, health profession, and other professional programs, alongside a smaller number of undergraduate admissions offices.

How to know if a college wants one

Check the specific college's international admissions page for a listed interview vendor and note the exact wording: required, recommended, or optional. Some schools list InitialView or Vericant as recommended for applicants who cannot travel for an alumni interview. Never send a recording to a college that does not list that vendor. It will not enter that college's file.

Completing a third-party interview does not exempt you from a required alumni interview a college schedules separately through its own network. The two serve different purposes even when a school accepts both.

What to prepare

Each vendor charges its own fee, listed on that vendor's registration page for your country, so check current pricing there rather than assuming a fixed number. For InitialView and Vericant, prepare for a real-time conversation in a quiet space with a stable connection and valid ID. For Kira Talent, expect timed prompts with a strict clock, so read each question fully before you start recording your answer.

How the three vendors compare

Third-party interviews versus a college's own interview

A college's own admissions interview, run by an alumni volunteer or an admissions officer, is free, scheduled directly with that one school, and reviewed only by that school. A third-party interview lives on a separate platform, costs you a fee, and can be sent to multiple schools from a single recording. Neither one outranks the other automatically. Treat each as one more piece of evidence in your file, alongside your essays, grades, and test scores, not the deciding factor on its own.

Do you have to pay for one the college does not list

No. If a college does not name a specific vendor on its international admissions page, recording an interview through InitialView, Vericant, or Kira Talent on your own initiative will not reach that school's file and will not help your application there. Spend the fee only on a vendor the specific college names as required, recommended, or accepted.

Does a weak interview sink a strong application

A single interview rarely decides an outcome on its own. Admissions committees view the recording as one part of a holistic file, alongside your grades, essays, and test scores, not as a pass or fail gate the vendor applies for the college. A nervous or short answer during a live InitialView conversation matters far less than consistent weaknesses across the rest of your application, so prepare for it seriously, but keep the stakes in perspective.

Where to find your college's requirement

There is no single master list of every college that uses these vendors, and the requirement changes from year to year. Search the specific college's international student admissions page directly, usually under a heading like interview requirements or application components for international applicants, and look for the vendor's name spelled out. When in doubt, email the international admissions office directly and ask which vendor, if any, it accepts before you pay for an interview.

Build the interview into your timeline the same way you plan a test date, since some vendors book out popular slots weeks ahead during peak application season. Waiting until your deadline is close can leave you with no available recording slot at all, regardless of how well prepared your answers would have been.