Free non-credit ESL courses offered at SMC
Out-of-work day laborers affected by the Los Angeles wildfires of 2025 can enroll in a noncredit English as a second language course at Santa Monica College to improve their resumes.
“It’s completely free. Your biggest investment is your time,” said Luis Jauregui, a project manager at the college.
While day laborers have priority enrollment, the course is open to anyone over the age of 18 without F-1 visa restrictions. Classes will be held at SMC’s Malibu Campus starting June 22 through July 31 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., the college’s website states.
According to Jauregui, the program is designed to be accessible regardless of legal status: The enrollment form doesn’t ask prospective students for sensitive residency information, and instructors follow a strict protocol for immigration officers entering campus. Additionally, the course is run by a highly supportive and immigrant-led team, Jauregui said.
A benefit of the course being noncredit is that it doesn’t affect a person’s GPA: Enrollees receive a pass, no pass or a satisfactory progress, according to Jauregui. If a student meets the course requirements, they earn a certificate of completion.
Enrollees in the program also qualify for student benefits such as free public transportation, access to the Bodega and the ability to participate in campus activities. Jauregui said the intention is to “shift the thought: They’re not non-credit students. They’re SMC students taking non-credit classes.”
Jauregui described the classroom environment as welcoming and family-like — there’s even a faded red-and-blue Chivas de Guadalajara soccer team hat decorating his office wall. It belonged to Rogelio Castillo, a deceased SMC student who was known as the program’s “grandpa,” Jaragui said.
Castillo created the non-credit program’s culture, and hanging Castillo’s hat works as a reminder of “who we’re serving,” Jauregui said.
Watching his father learn English to provide necessities for their family is the reason why Jauregui works for the college. He said he imagines someone being helpful to his father at adult school and wants to be “the person that helps another generation start their journey.”
People who’ve finished non-credit courses at SMC, like Shuyem Cortes, say ESL programs are important because they integrate people into the local community and offer continued support.
“Sometimes learning a language can feel insulating,” Cortes said. “Having a supportive environment makes a huge difference. It became part of my personal growth journey — it wasn’t just an academic experience.”
Cortes, owner of Chochi Café in Baja California, credits her success to the courses she took at SMC in 2017. She said she uses the communication and customer-service skills she gained at the college every day at her business, where she sells coffee and sweets.
“I really enjoyed the experience because I was not afraid to make mistakes,” Cortes said. “Learning a language takes time but the confidence and connections that you gain is really valuable.”
People interested in joining the pilot program can find more information and the enrollment form on SMC’s website. According to Jauregui, the college is accepting 45 applicants for the summer 2026 session. The textbooks are free, it doesn’t affect financial aid and the college is working on obtaining free school supplies.
All that is needed is “your time,” Jauregui said.