Intensive English

Interested in learning more about our English Language programs? Attend a Start Now event dedicated to students seeking to learn English! Speak to an advisor about which program is right for you and complete an application and assessment (if needed) all on the same day. Register for one of the events at the link below:

Register for Start Now for English Language Programs

Information about Start Now sessions:

https://www.bhcc.edu/startnow/

Do you want to improve your English skills in a short period of time? Then Intensive English is for you! In these classes, you will practice your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. There will also be instruction on grammar, pronunciation, and American culture.

In the Intensive English program, classes run four days a week for seven weeks. Class each day runs five hours. You will receive 20 hours of classroom instruction per week. By the end of seven weeks, you will receive 140 hours of classroom instruction.

All classes are taught Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no class on Monday. Times are subject to change based on classroom availability.

Our Mission

The mission of the Intensive English Program is to support English Language Learners in their educational, professional, and personal goals by providing rigorous multi-level English Language instruction, and by accommodating the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students through affordable access to language instruction.

Summer 2024 Term Schedule

  • Summer 1: May 14 – June 28
  • Summer 2: July 9 – August 23

Fall 2024 Term Schedule

  • Fall 1: September 3 – October 18
  • Fall 2: October 29 – December 20

Admissions Requirements and Application Deadlines

  • All applicants must be at least 17 years old.
  • F-1 students must also submit a copy of their passport ID page, and proof of sufficient funding for their studies.

Recommended application deadlines below are for F-1 applicants only. Please note that if you apply after the deadline, you may not receive your I-20 in time to make an appointment for a visa interview with the U.S. consulate/embassy in your country.

Summer 2024 Deadlines

  • Summer Term 1: March 29, 2024
  • Summer Term 2: May 31, 2024

Fall 2024 Deadlines

  • Fall Term 1: July 15, 2024
  • Fall Term 2: September 10, 2024

Deadlines for Non F-1 Applicants (Local)

Summer 2024 Deadlines

  • Summer Term 1: April 30
  • Summer Term 2: June 25

Fall 2024 Deadlines

  • Fall Term 1: August 20
  • Fall Term 2: October 15

*Please note that the application and placement test process can take up to 1 week.

Apply to the Intensive English Program

The Intensive English Program requires a minimum level of English equivalent to CEFR Level A1. We administer a placement test to determine if you meet the minimum level requirement. To get started with placement test instructions, Click Here to Apply. One of our advisors will reach out to you with placement test information.

If you have any further inquiries, please e-mail us at intensiveenglish@bhcc.edu.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of a seven-week class is $1,115. Tuition does not include the cost of books.

International applicants must show proof that they have sufficient funds to support themselves for the first year of study at BHCC. Please see the table below to get an estimated cost of attendance. F-1 applicants can upload copies of their own bank statement, letter of financial guarantees from a government, foundation, or home university. F-1 students with sponsors must submit the sponsor’s bank statement or letter and the completed affidavit of support. Financial documents must be dated within the past 6 months.

Terms of Study

Cost of Tuition

Estimated Cost of Living & Course Materials

Total Cost*

1

$1,599

$2,204

$3,803

2

$3,198

$4,408

$7,606

3

$4,797

$7,684

$12,481

4

$6,396

$9,888

$16,284

*All cost of living amounts are estimates; the totals for three and four terms assume stays of seven (7) and nine (9) months respectively.

Refund policy: All refunds are subject to a 3% administrative processing fee

  • Prior to class start and up to 3 days after class start: Full refund minus 3% administrative processing fee.
  • After class start: No refund. Seat transfer only.
  • F-1 Students: If you were not able to receive your visa in time to attend the term, you must notify the Intensive English Program immediately so that we can transfer your seat or issue a refund.

Because IEP courses are noncredit, 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 four of the following objectives:

Achieve a score of 75% or higher on the three-part final
Receive a grade of 75% or higher on five out of six speaking quizzes
Receive a grade of 75% or higher on five out of six writing quizzes
Receive a grade of 75% or higher on five out of six listening/reading quizzes
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.

At your request, the program will generate a certificate upon the conclusion of the course. You will either receive a Certificate of Completion or a Certificate of Participation. A Certificate of Completion means you have successfully passed the course while a Certificate of Participation means you failed the course. In either case, 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.

Intensive English-BeginnerEMC-001E

Level 001: The goal of this beginner level course is to provide learners with the basic tools to participate in the English-speaking world. This course will help learners recognize key information in everyday texts and in conversations with others. It will also allow them to produce clear, accurate speech and writing on basic, everyday topics suitable for communicating key information about themselves and their immediate needs and surroundings.

SectionDatesDays and TimesInstructorFee
EMC-001E-F21Oct 29 - Dec 20
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri at 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
TBA$1,599

Intensive English-High BeginnerEMC-002E

Level 002: In this high beginner course, students will be able to understand a larger set of phrases and vocabulary about daily matters, read simple texts on familiar topics, understand high frequency vocabulary, and converse about situations that are familiar and personal to them. Students will be able to write phrases and sentences describing their experiences, and use common grammatical structures to function in daily life.

SectionDatesDays and TimesInstructorFee
EMC-002E-F21Oct 29 - Dec 20
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri at 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
TBA$1,599

Intensive English-IntermediateEMC-003E

Level 003: The goal of this intermediate level course is to introduce learners to a variety of real-world vocabulary and text in various print and audio media; to help them recognize explicit and implicit meaning and humor; and to train them to generate clear, accurate, well-structured speech and writing on everyday subjects suitable for an increasingly broader range of audiences and purposes.

SectionDatesDays and TimesInstructorFee
EMC-003E-F21Oct 29 - Dec 20
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri at 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
TBA$1,599

Intensive English-High IntermediateEMC-004E

Level 004: In this high intermediate course, students, continuing as independent users of English, will be able to understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics. They will be able to interact with a level of fluency that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible. Learners will also be able to produce clear, detailed text on a range of subjects.

SectionDatesDays and TimesInstructorFee
EMC-004E-F21Oct 29 - Dec 20
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri at 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
TBA$1,599

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.

The Language Institute Intensive English Program is Accredited by the CEA

Accredited by CEA

CEA Standards: https://cea-accredit.org/about-cea/standards

CEA Complaint Policy: https://cea-accredit.org/about-cea/complaints

Contact

All inquiries about the Intensive English program are initially handled by email

IntensiveEnglish@bhcc.edu