In a change from previous policy, students can apply to only two residential college seminars and can only enroll in one this spring. Last year, students could apply to three seminars and enroll in two.

“The reason for the reduction is that we have, as planned, a smaller number of seminars scheduled for the spring,” Associate Dean of Academic Affairs George Levesque said. “As it is, we often have over 50 applications for each seminar, so we want students to focus on their top two choices.”

This fall students submitted a total of 1,189 applications – an average of almost 57 per course.

John Rogers, English professor and chair of the committee reviewing the seminar program, said in November that only 12 courses would be offered, instead of the regular 18, in part because of the recent retirement of Catherine Suttle, who was director of the program. The search for a replacement is not likely to start until the committee finishes its report on the program sometime during the spring semester, he said, since the director’s role may change as a result of the review.

Another difference from last semester is that only four slots will be reserved for the college hosting the course. In the fall, six slots were held for both sponsoring and co-sponsoring colleges.

Applications are due Jan. 5 at noon, and admission information will be available Jan. 7 at 5 PM, according to the Yale College website.