If you consider yourself a woman, so do we. Transgender women are women and we encourage them to apply. Applicants must be at least 18 years old to work as interpreters.

To be eligible to participate in the Language Access Fellowship, you will need to have fluency in English and another language. (We accept ALL languages.) You should speak both languages smoothly, comfortably and correctly with only minor mistakes. We utilize a college-level textbook which requires English language reading and comprehension skills. All of our presentations, professional development and mentoring sessions are in English, with language coaching held in both languages. For coursework around medical terminologies we require basic writing skill in another language as well as English, therefore candidates will be tested for both oral and written fluency assessments as part of eligibility determination. Special accommodations may be provided for uncommon languages.

Our model relies heavily on in-person community-building and engagement between students, faculty, and volunteers. If someone does not live within commuting distance to the Greater Boston area, they will not be able to participate in key components of LAF (Exceptions can be made for individuals with mobility challenges). In addition, after earning their certificates, we support graduates in finding work as interpreters in the Greater Boston area - a region where we have a deep professional presence and network, as well as a wealth of industry insight. We do not at this time have the capacity or resources in our flagship program to assist women who seek to work in other markets.

Eligibility is based on combined household income, regardless of if the applicant herself is employed. To be eligible for our program, your annual household income must be at or below the following amounts relative to your household size (adults + children).

Recognizing that living in the Boston area is growing increasingly more expensive, we now use the "Very Low" income limit category.

• 1 person - $57,900
• 2 people - $66,200
• 3 people - $74,450
• 4 people - $82,700
• 5 people - $89,350
• 6 people - $95,950
• 7 people - $102,550
• 8+ people - $109,200

Income category data from the 2025 Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines for the Boston - Cambridge - Quincy metro area.

Exceptions can be made for applicants who are working temporary jobs.

This level of education is required for employment as a medical interpreter, and like US employment eligibility, assisting with this type of service is outside the scope of our program. Graduates of our program range in education from recent GED recipients to former doctors in their home countries - and many have some form of post-secondary education.

The diploma can be an international equivalent.

Please note that we are looking for candidates who have the talent and skill but not the means to enter the Medical Interpreting profession. Therefore, applicants who already hold a Medical Interpreter Certificate will not be considered.