A new loans system to help adult students develop fresh skills through further education is being introduced in England. Known as 24+ Advanced Learning Loans, they are available for courses starting from August.

The Bournemouth and Poole College, the largest and longest established provider of further education courses in the region, is already geared up for the change. Antony Wright, Director of Adult Education at The College sees this as a great way to make learning affordable and accessible to everyone, and it will also help to deliver a fully flexible workforce to compete on the world stage.

Here Antony answers some of the basic questions many adult learners will want answered before choosing a course and taking out a loan - a loan that could be life changing.

Q What is a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan?

A. It's a brand new scheme being introduced by Government. It's a loan for learners who are aged 24 or over and can cover all or part of the cost of course fees.

Q. Is it available for every adult course?

The loan is available for courses at Level 3, 4, or 5. This includes BTec Diplomas, Advanced or Higher apprenticeships, Access to Higher Education courses and QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework) Certificates.

Q. Who can apply for a loan?

A. Anyone is eligible, so long as they are a UK resident aged 24 or over at the start of their course. There's also no upper age limit for people to apply.

Q. So is it a bank loan?

A. No. The loan will be issued by the Student Loan Company on behalf of the Government.

Q. How much can I borrow?

A. You can take out a loan to cover the full cost of the course, or a loan for a proportion of the cost.

Q.How do I repay the loan?

A. Repayments will start from April 2016 and there's no need to pay anything until then. After then, repayments will be automatically deducted from your earnings through the tax system once you've left the course and you are earning more than £404pw, £1,750pm or £21,000pa. Repayments are fixed at 9% of your income above £21,000pa.

Q. Does getting a loan depend on my income and credit history?

A. No, there are no income or credit checks

Q. What happens if at some stage my salary falls below the £21,000 and I have been paying back the loan.

A. You will simply stop making payments.

Q. Can I have more than one loan?

A. Yes, you can access up to four loans. Each loan must be of a different type of course or level, which means you cannot have four loans for one course.

Q. How long do learners have to repay the loan?

A. You have 30 years to pay it back, after which it will be written off.

Adult students may have other questions that need more detailed answers. Call The College on 01202 205205 questions or visit the www.thecollege.co.uk for details of courses and how you can apply.