Press Release

Bunker Hill Community College Language Institute Awarded Five-year Accreditation

Friday, March 19, 2021

Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Language Institute and its Intensive English Program have been awarded by the Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) an initial five-year accreditation that extends through December 2025. The full-time Intensive English Program is designed to provide a pathway for international students to acquire a higher level of English proficiency needed to enroll in a BHCC certificate or degree program.

“Normally, the Commission grants a one-year provisional accreditation, so we are very excited and grateful that we have been granted the five years,” said Kristen McKenna, Dean of Workforce Development. “This achievement was a collaborative effort across many departments at BHCC and an important announcement for the recruitment of international students.”

Students in the Intensive English Program study in blocks of 7-week sessions and engage in this preparation right before enrolling into either academic ELL or a degree or certificate program. The Intensive English Program's mission is to support English Language Learners in their educational, professional, and personal goals by providing rigorous multi-level English Language instruction and accommodating the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students through affordable access to language instruction.

Media Contact:


About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).