If you are applying for a pre-registration clinical programme at the University of Waikato, you may be invited to complete an interview as part of the application process.
The interview helps us to understand who you are beyond your academic results. It is an opportunity for you to demonstrate the personal qualities, values, and communication skills that are important for success in health and clinical professions.
Interviews for the 2027 intake will run from late July - mid September 2026.
Interview Format
Your application will be assessed for admission and applicants who meet the academic entry requirements will be invited to complete an interview by email invitation. Once you receive your email invitation you will have 2 weeks to complete the interview.
The interview is conducted online in a video-based format without a live interviewer. During the interview you will:
- Respond to pre-recorded questions.
- Have a short preparation period before each response
- Record video responses, and in some cases, written responses
- The interview takes approximately 20–30 minutes to complete
Interviews are conducted online using the interview platform Kira Talent. Applicants will be required to accept Kira Talent's Terms of Service in order to use the platform and participate in the interview.
Please note that the email invitation will be sent from Kira Talent.
What we are looking for
The interview is designed to assess the personal qualities and capabilities needed for success in healthcare study and professional practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
These may include:
- Motivation and commitment to your chosen career
- Compassion and interpersonal skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Ethical awareness and professionalism
- Self-awareness, reflection, and resilience
- Clear, confident, and respectful communication
- Awareness of health and wellbeing in the context of Aotearoa, including understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Commitment to supporting safe, inclusive, and equitable access to health care
There will be no questions assessing medical or technical knowledge.
Preparing for your interview
You will need the following:
- Photo ID to verify your identity during the interview
- A computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone
- Stable internet connection
- A quiet, private space to complete the interview
If you do not have access to an appropriate space, device or internet, enquire with your local public library if you can book a room and computer.
We do not recommend using a phone or tablet as this may hinder your ability to effectively participate in the interview and write written responses.
Before your interview
- You will receive an individual link via email from Kira Talent
- Register with Kira Talent and complete the pre-interview tasks
- Test your camera, microphone, and internet connection
- Choose a quiet, well-lit space where you won’t be interrupted
- Ensure your device is fully charged or plugged in
- Read all instructions carefully, including deadlines
For technical support with your interview, click the ‘Need help?’ button on your Kira Check-In page, you’ll get access to a 24/7 chat bot and FAQs. If you can’t find an answer, please email support@kiratalent.com.
Complete pratice questions
- Record yourself answering practice questions
- Speak clearly and keep your answers focused
- You can answer practice questions as many times as you like
- Responses to practice questions are not viewed or assessed by reviewers
During the interview
When you begin the interview you will need to show your photo ID. Please ensure you have your ID ready when you start.
You will have one attempt at each question. The interview cannot be restarted or attempted again, though it does pause between each question to allow for breaks.
You must complete your interview before the deadline, ensure you give yourself enough time before the deadline to finish the interview.
- Use the preparation time to think about your response
- Speak clearly and at a steady pace
- Answer the question directly
- Be authentic, we want to hear your genuine perspective
- You are not permitted to have anyone else in the room with you
- You are not permitted to use any Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Large Language Model (LLM) tools
Note that the interviews are monitored for integrity and plagiarism through the Kira platform.
After your interview
Congratulations, you've completed the interview!
Your responses will be reviewed and included as part of the selection process.
Check your application in MyWaikato to see if any other requirements are outstanding. Review the application process and requirements.
Accessibility Accommodations
The interview platform, Kira Talent, includes built-in accessibility features such as closed captioning, compatibility with assistive technologies, and adjustable text sizes. All applicants are also allowed to take notes during the preparation time for each question.
Clinical Programme Application Process
View the full application process for clinical programmes and tips for applying below
Frequently Asked Questions
Interview invitations for the 2027 intake will be sent from late July 2026.
Applicants are invited to attend an interview after an initial assessment of your application. If you meet the academic entry requirements you will be sent a conditional offer of place. You can expect to receive an email invitation to interview after receiving a conditional offer.
The invitation email will be sent from no-reply@kiratalent.com, please try checking your spam folder.
If you have:
- Received a conditional offer of place
- It is past July 2026
- Have not received an invitation to the interview
Then please contact us on health@waikato.ac.nz
If something unexpected happens during your interview, such as:
- Power or internet outage
- Emergency requiring evacuation or urgent attention
Please contact health@waikato.ac.nz to request a resit. Note you must have a legitimate reason to request a resit and these will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.
The use of Kira Talent in our selection process helps reduce the potential for subjectivity and supports equitable assessment. Interview responses are reviewed independently by multiple assessors, who evaluate your strengths against defined competencies and structured criteria. This approach promotes consistency in how applicants are assessed and helps ensure that decisions are not based on the view of a single reviewer.
Applicants are given 2 weeks to complete their interview upon receiving the email invitation.
The interview must be completed prior to the deadline time. If you start the interview with only a few minutes before the deadline, you will not be able to submit it upon completion. Ensure you start the interview early and leave enough time to finish it before the deadline.
If you do not complete the interview before the deadline your application may be declined.
If you experienced external circumstances that prevented you from completing your interview before the deadline, and can provide evidence attesting to this, please contact us on health@waikato.ac.nz.
To ensure a fair, consistent, and defensible selection process, interviews conducted via the Kira platform include integrity monitoring and analysis.
During your interview, Kira collects interaction and behavioural data (such as response timing, communication patterns, and system activity). This data may highlight patterns or indicators consistent with unusual or suspicious activity.
In addition, written responses may be reviewed by plagiarism detection tools, including SimCheck by Turnitin, to assess originality and identify potential matches with existing sources.
Information gathered through Kira, including integrity indicators and similarity reports, may be reviewed by Division of Health staff to identify possible plagiarism or other behaviours of concern. This information may be used as part of our assessment and decision-making processes, in accordance with our academic integrity policies.
Contact details
If you have any questions or need help, please contact us.