ELL Frequently Asked Questions

We want you to be a part of our campus community, and you will earn college credit for Academic ELL courses. Our ELL courses will not only help you with language, but also help you succeed in other college-level courses. BHCC professors and our student support partners enjoy working with students from all languages and backgrounds. Most of our classes get in-class support from a Success Coach, an Ace Mentor (peer mentor), and the Language Lab. Our program has been recognized at the state and national levels for our innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

You can start now! If you want to be a full-time student, you can take the six credits of ELL along with other college courses. 

We encourage you to take your Math course along with any level of ELL. 

You can take other college courses with ELL-101 or 102 (Level 1 or 2) such as Humanities-120 or courses in Communication or Performing Arts. 

There are Learning Communities available with ELL-103 (Level 3) such as Sociology-101 and English-111. 

 Each ELL course is six credits. There are three levels: ELL 101, 102, and 103.  Your instructor will assess your level at the end of each semester to determine which course you should take next. If you make a lot of progress in one semester, you may be eligible to accelerate (skip one or more levels of ELL).  

The Academic ELL Program does not require a placement test for new students. New students to Bunker Hill choose their first level using the Guided Self Placement Survey (see the New ELL Students page). Your ELL professor will confirm that your placement is appropriate on the first day of class with some in-class assessment. 

Cost of tuition depends on in-state or out-of-state status and the amount of total credits. Check current tuition rates. Various forms of financial support may be available for Academic ELL students, including Federal Financial Aid, MassReconnect, and the City of Boston Free Tuition Program (TFCC) - see the Paying for College webpage for details.