Application and Enrollment
Priority Enrollment
The IntroSems application and priority enrollment process communicates your interest in the seminar topic and allows the faculty member to begin to get to know you. One of the purposes of an IntroSem is to promote formulation of mentoring relationships between faculty and students around common intellectual interests. Many faculty use students' statements of interest to customize their IntroSem for the students they select during the priority enrollment process.
To apply for priority enrollment in IntroSems, frosh, sophomores, and first-year transfers may rank up to three seminars each quarter and then submit a short statement of interest for at least their first choice in the application system, the IntroSems' VCA. IntroSems instructors assemble their classes from these applications and selected students are priority enrolled before Navigate Enrollment opens for course registration (Autumn Quarter an exception; admitted students notified by Sept. 9 and enrolled by Sept. 15). Following priority enrollment, IntroSems that still have Space Available open to student self-enrollment in Navigate Enrollment. For more details, review Dates and Deadlines.
Step 2 Go to the IntroSems' VCA to apply for priority enrollment. In a brief paragraph or two, respond to the following prompt for your first choice. Written comments are required for your first choice IntroSem each quarter. Statements of interest for your second and third choices are optional. Rely on your own voice and experiences to write a compelling statement, and not on AI. If you need assistance, try seeking feedback from friends or family.
Your writing prompt — Pick something in the seminar description and explain why it grabs your attention. Perhaps it reminds you of a prior experience, inspires you to tell a story about yourself, or unearths a curiosity you didn’t know you have. Don’t worry if the story doesn’t seem relevant to the IntroSem. The purpose is for the professor to learn more about you as they assemble the class.
Enrollment Process
Students who apply for and are admitted into an IntroSem will be automatically enrolled. Units are pre-loaded on students' study lists before Navigate Enrollment opens for general course registration each quarter (Autumn Quarter an exception; admitted students notified by Sept. 9 and enrolled by Sept. 15). Faculty may create waitlists for oversubscribed seminars. It is possible for students to be placed into more than one IntroSem or no IntroSems each quarter depending on the overall popularity of your selections.
When Navigate Enrollment opens, you may drop a pre-enrolled seminar yourself should your schedule change or you change your mind. In other words, you are not obligated to stay in your IntroSem enrollment(s). No need to email the program — you can make this change yourself once you can enroll in your other classes. (Sophomore Seminars that fulfill Writing 2 (fulfills PWR2) are an exception; they require an email to the IntroSems Office to drop (not the PWR Office) because you can't drop yourself.)
IntroSems that still have space available after the application and priority enrollment process will open for student self-enrollment in Navigate Enrollment. Visit the Space Available page for the latest seminars with space.
Insider Tips
Are IntroSems required?
Although enrollment in an IntroSem is not required, many IntroSems satisfy university breadth requirements (Ways of Thinking, Ways of Doing) and in some departments, an IntroSem can fulfill a major requirement. All IntroSems count toward the 180 units required for an undergraduate degree.
Why do IntroSems have a special application process different from other departmental classes in Navigate Enrollment?
The informal application process communicates your interest in the seminar topic and allows the faculty member to begin to get to know you — they may even use the statements to try and tailor their course to the student interests that year. One of the purposes of an IntroSem is to promote formation of relationships between faculty and students around common intellectual interests.
Can Frosh apply for Sophomore Seminars? (or vice versa)
Faculty will typically prioritize sophomores and first-year transfer students over frosh for Sophomore Seminars, while frosh receive first preference for First-Year Seminars. Nevertheless, if a topic really interests you, do apply as faculty are often open to enrolling either frosh, sophs, or first-year transfers in their classes. And in general, faculty give priority to frosh, sophs, and first-year transfers in all IntroSems over juniors and seniors. Tip: First-Year Seminar catalog numbers end in ‘N’ (e.g., BIO 12N) while Sophomore Seminar catalog numbers end in ‘Q’ (e.g., COMPLIT 11Q).
Heads-up, Frosh! — Please do not apply for Writing 2 Sophomore Seminars. Second-year students and first-year transfers receive priority for all spots in these classes. Don't waste one of your limited choices! Wait until you are a sophomore when you will be eligible for a Writing 2 or PWR2 class. Occasionally, there are offerings of Writing 2 First-Year Seminars where frosh receive priority — check out SLAVIC 118N in Spring Quarter 2026.