Intensive English

Yes. The program helps students build the English skills needed for college-level coursework and academic communication. Many students use Intensive English as preparation for further study.

No. Intensive English program students need an F-1 student visa as it is considered a full-time program. In some cases, J1 and M visa holders may also be eligible to study in our program.

No. F-1 students must remain continuously enrolled until completion of their program and the end date indicated on their I-20. Students may complete a travel request form and travel signature on their I-20 for the permitted 10-day breaks in between each term.

Complete our online application and indicate that you intend to transfer. Request a transfer-out form from your current school and send it to intensiveenglish@bhcc.edu. Once you complete our placement process, you will receive an acceptance letter from our advisor that you may present to your current DSO so that your SEVIS record can be transferred to BHCC.

 The Intensive English Program is offered at Bunker Hill Community College, located in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is home to many universities and offers a vibrant academic and cultural environment for students learning English.

No. All IEP courses are in-person on the Charlestown campus.

Yes. BHCC is conveniently located near public transportation, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subway and bus system. Many students commute to campus using Boston’s reliable public transit network.

 

BHCC does not offer on-campus housing. However, students can find housing in the surrounding Boston area through shared apartments, homestays, or private rentals. Program staff may provide guidance and resources to help students begin their housing search. You can also visit the International Office’s Housing Resources page here: https://www.bhcc.edu/internationalcenter/housing/

 

Many students use the Intensive English Program to strengthen their English skills before applying to an academic program at BHCC. The program offers a built-in pathway to academic ELL upon completion of the IEP. After improving their English proficiency, students may choose to apply to one of the college’s associate degree or certificate programs while continuing to advance their English skills in credit-bearing advanced ELL courses. Please see the available academic programs at BHCC here: https://www.bhcc.edu/programsofstudy/

Studying in Boston gives students the opportunity to practice English in a city known for its universities, history, and diverse international community. Students can experience American culture while studying in one of the most important education centers in the United States!

Because IEP courses are nondegree, students in the IEP receive a grade of Pass (“P”) or Fail (“F”). A “P” allows you to advance to the next level, while an “F” means that the course must be repeated.

To pass the course and be able to advance to the next level, you must achieve all  of the following objectives:

Achieve a score of 75% or higher on the final exam

Achieve a score of 75% or higher on 80% of quizzes and assignments given throughout the course.

A grade of Pass (“P”) or Fail (“F”) is given at the end of the class. P indicates satisfactory completion of coursework. A “P” grade will allow you to advance to the next level while an “F” grade means you will have to repeat the level.

To be able to advance to the next level in the Intensive English program, you must receive a grade of “P”, meaning you have met all three of the objectives listed above. Students who fail a course may repeat it the following term. You may only repeat the course once (meaning the level is taken a total of two times). If you fail the course a second time, you will be referred to another English language program within Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) such as Basic ELL, a non-intensive English language class.

In special cases, you may return to the IEP and retake the full placement test to determine your new level placement. Placement beyond the level you had already failed will allow you to enroll in the next level. For instance, if a student fails level 002 twice, she would be recommended to take a BELL class. If she wishes to return to the IEP after completing the BELL course, she would have to take the placement test and place at level 003 or higher.

All students will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successful conclusion of each course. The certificate will list the course level, classroom hours attended, the semester, term, and year of completion or participation.

Students will take a placement test before registering for classes. Students that are true beginners will not be recommended for placement into the Intensive English program; students that place above the program’s highest level, High-Intermediate (004), will be recommended for the Academic ELL program.

The achievement scale is based on the Student Learning Outcomes for each level. These outcomes describe what students should be able to do in each of the language skill areas after finishing that level, and represent the program’s achievement scale.

Reading

Level 001

• Identify the stated main idea and some supporting details within a paragraph.
• Locate explicit information on simple tables, and in short texts.

Level 002

• Identify the stated or implied main idea within a multiparagraph text, and how the main idea is supported.
• Locate explicit information on a multifeature table or graph, and within multiple paragraphs.

Level 003

• Identify different levels or relationships of stated and implied ideas within lengthy texts.
• Locate explicit information on a complex table, graph, or diagram and in multiple dense paragraphs.

Level 004C

• Identify different levels or relationships of stated and implied ideas within lengthy literary texts.
• Locate explicit information on a complex graphic and in lengthy dense literary text.

Level 004S

• Identify different levels or relationships of stated and implied ideas within lengthy texts that deal with STEM-oriented content.
• Locate explicit information on a complex graphic and in lengthy dense text dealing with STEM topics.

Writing

Level 001

• Write simple texts related to everyday, personal experiences, in which a simple, one- to two-sentence opinion about a familiar topic is expressed.
• Logically organize words in a sentence to convey an idea or information.

Level 002

• Write a few connected sentences that make a claim and provide reasoning to support that claim.
• Introduce a topic, and group related information or details together.

Level 003

• Write short, paragraph-length texts on familiar topics, which express a clear point of view with reasons and evidence to support particular points, and consider outside opinions.
• Logically organize ideas and evidence in a short, simple paragraph focused on a single topic.

Level 004C

• Write multi-paragraph arguments to support claims with clear, logically ordered reasons and evidence from texts.
• Introduce a topic clearly, and group related information into paragraphs and sections.

Level 004S

• Write multi-paragraph arguments to support claims with clear, logically ordered reasons and evidence from STEM-focused texts.
• Introduce a topic clearly, and group related information into paragraphs and sections.

Listening

Level 001

• Identify the gist of spoken messages on everyday topics comprised of high-frequency vocabulary when spoken slowly, clearly, and with support.

Level 002

• Identify the main topic and a few key details of simple spoken texts comprised of some specialized vocabulary on high-interest topics when spoken slowly and clearly.

Level 003

• Summarize the central idea or theme and the key details in a spoken text containing somewhat complex, idiomatic vocabulary when spoken at a moderate rate.

Level 004C

• Summarize the central ideas and the key concepts, information, and examples in an extended, content-specific speech, with figurative or connotative language when spoken at a moderate rate.

Level 004S

• Summarize the central ideas and the key concepts, information, and examples in an extended, content-specific speech, with figurative or connotative language when spoken at a moderate rate.

Speaking

Level 001

• Participate in short social and task-related conversations related to everyday personal life in familiar and supported contexts with limited accuracy and intelligibility.
• Produce short spoken text with personally relevant words, simple phrases, and formulaic expressions.

Level 002

• Provide a short, simple explanation related to expressing needs, feelings, preferences, and conveying information in familiar contexts with some accuracy and intelligibility.
• Produce short spoken text with frequently occurring words, phrases, and expressions.

Level 003

• Carry out speaking tasks hat require a presentation of information and explanation in somewhat familiar contexts with somewhat consistent accuracy and intelligibility.
• Produce spoken text of moderate length with common content-specific words and phrases.

Level 004C

• Carry out speaking tasks that require making a point by synthesizing ideas in somewhat formal (academic) or unsupported contexts with mostly consistent accuracy and intelligibility.
• Produce lengthy spoken text with academic and content-specific words and phrases.

Level 004S

• Carry out speaking tasks that require making a point with evidence and reasoning in somewhat formal (academic) or unsupported contexts with mostly consistent accuracy and intelligibility.
• Produce lengthy spoken text with academic and content-specific words and phrases.

Grammar

Level 001

• Use grammatical structures appropriate to proficiency level in oral and written production with fairly consistent accuracy.

Level 002

• Use grammatical structures appropriate to proficiency level in oral and written production with fairly consistent accuracy.

Level 003

• Use grammatical structures appropriate to proficiency level in oral and written production with fairly consistent accuracy.

Level 004C

• Use grammatical structures appropriate to proficiency level in oral and written production with fairly consistent accuracy.

Level 004S

• Use grammatical structures appropriate to proficiency level in oral and written production with fairly consistent accuracy.