Leave Application Format: Samples for School, College, Office
A leave application is a short formal letter or email in which you ask your principal, teacher or manager for permission to be absent. It gives the reason, the exact dates, and a polite request for approval. The format is the same everywhere: addressee, date, subject, salutation, a short body, a polite close and your name.
This lesson gives the leave application format for school (to the principal or class teacher), college and office, with ready-to-use templates, five sample applications, an email version and useful phrases. It is a special case of the formal letter format, so the same rules of politeness and layout apply.
Leave Application Format for School
In school, you write to the principal (for leave of more than a day or two) or to the class teacher (for a day or a short absence). Many school papers ask for the format without a sender's address, because the application is handed in at school; it begins with "To". If your question asks for the full formal letter layout, add your address at the top.
The Principal
(Name of the school)
(Place)
(Date)
Subject: Application for (sick leave / leave for a family function)
Respected Sir/Madam,
Paragraph 1: who you are (name, class, section, roll number) and what you are asking for.
Paragraph 2: the reason and the exact dates.
Paragraph 3: a polite request to grant leave, and thanks.
Yours obediently,
(Name)
(Class and roll number)
For a school application, Respected Sir/Madam and Yours obediently are the usual forms in Indian schools; Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely are also accepted. Some teachers prefer a particular one, so follow your teacher's choice. If the question gives you the name of the school or the principal, use it; if not, write "The Principal" and a general school name.
Leave Application Format for College or Office
In a college you write to the Head of the Department (HOD) or the Principal. At work you write to your manager or the HR department. The format is almost the same; only the addressee, the salutation and the detail change.
To
The Manager (or Head of Department)
(Company name)
(Place)
(Date)
Subject: Application for (type of leave) from (date) to (date)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Paragraph 1: the leave you want, for how many days, from which date to which date.
Paragraph 2: the reason in one or two sentences, and what you have arranged for your work while you are away.
Paragraph 3: a request for approval and thanks.
Yours sincerely,
(Name, designation, employee ID)
| Part | School | College | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written to | The Principal or class teacher | The HOD or Principal | The manager or HR |
| Salutation | Respected Sir/Madam, | Respected Sir/Madam, | Dear Sir/Madam, or Dear Mr Rao, |
| Who you are | Class, section, roll number | Course, year, roll number | Designation, employee ID |
| Close | Yours obediently, | Yours obediently, | Yours sincerely, or Yours faithfully, |
| Extra detail | A parent's note or medical certificate for long leave | Attendance and any exam clash | Work handover and contact number |
Sample 1: Sick Leave (School)
Question: You have a fever and cannot attend school for three days. Write a leave application to the principal.
The Principal
St. Xavier's High School
Pune
15 November 2026
Subject: Application for sick leave
Respected Sir,
I am Aarav Patil, a student of Class 8-B, Roll No. 14. I am writing to request leave for three days.
I have had a high fever since last night, and the doctor has advised me to rest at home. I will therefore not be able to attend school from 16 November to 18 November 2026. I will attach the doctor's certificate when I return.
I request you to grant me leave for these three days. I shall be grateful to you.
Yours obediently,
Aarav Patil
Class 8-B, Roll No. 14
Sample 2: Leave for a Family Function (School)
The Principal
Delhi Public School
Ranchi
15 November 2026
Subject: Application for leave to attend a family function
Respected Madam,
I, Sneha Kumari of Class 9-A, Roll No. 7, request you to grant me leave for two days, 20 and 21 November 2026.
My cousin's wedding is on 21 November in Patna, and my parents want the whole family to attend. I will complete the notes and homework for the days I miss as soon as I return.
I shall be very thankful if you grant me leave for these two days.
Yours obediently,
Sneha Kumari
Class 9-A, Roll No. 7
Sample 3: Half-Day Leave (School)
The Class Teacher
Class 7-C
Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bhopal
15 November 2026
Subject: Request for half-day leave
Respected Madam,
I request you to allow me to leave school at 11 a.m. on 16 November 2026.
I have a dental appointment at noon, and my father will come to take me to the clinic. I will copy the notes of the remaining periods from my friend.
Thank you.
Yours obediently,
Imran Khan
Class 7-C, Roll No. 22
Sample 4: Urgent Work (Office)
To
The Manager
Bharat Logistics Pvt. Ltd.
Hyderabad
15 November 2026
Subject: Application for two days' casual leave
Dear Sir,
I would like to request casual leave for two days, 18 and 19 November 2026, because I have an urgent piece of work to complete at the Registrar's office regarding my property papers.
I have completed the pending reports and handed over the client files to my colleague, Ms Priya Nair, who has agreed to cover for me. I can be reached on my mobile (98765 43210) in an emergency.
I request you to kindly approve my leave. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Vikram Reddy
Senior Executive, Emp. ID 2045
Sample 5: Leave Extension
When you need more days than you first asked for, write a new application that refers to the earlier one. Give the new reason and the new return date.
The Principal
Modern Senior Secondary School
Lucknow
20 November 2026
Subject: Request for extension of leave
Respected Sir,
I am Riya Verma, a student of Class 10-A, Roll No. 3. I was granted leave from 16 to 19 November 2026 because of a viral fever.
The doctor says I have not yet recovered fully and has advised me to rest for three more days. I therefore request you to extend my leave up to 22 November 2026. I shall attend school on 23 November and attach the medical certificate then.
I shall be grateful if you grant me this extension.
Yours obediently,
Riya Verma
Class 10-A, Roll No. 3
Leave Application Email Format
Many offices and colleges now accept leave requests by email. Keep it short and put the dates in the subject line so the reader sees them at once.
To: manager@company.com
Subject: Leave request: 18 to 19 November 2026 (Vikram Reddy)
Dear Mr Rao,
I would like to request leave on 18 and 19 November 2026 for some personal work. I have finished my pending tasks and shared the client files with Priya, who will cover for me.
Please let me know if you need any other detail. I will be available on my mobile in an emergency.
Thank you.
Regards,
Vikram Reddy
Senior Executive
For more email wording and a complete layout, see How to Write a Formal Email in English (With Templates).
Useful Phrases for Leave Applications
| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Asking for leave | I request you to grant me leave for… / I would like to request leave from… to… |
| Giving a reason | I am suffering from fever. / I have to attend a family function. / I have an urgent piece of work. |
| Stating the dates | from 16 to 18 November 2026 (three days) / on 20 November 2026 |
| Promising to catch up | I will complete the missed work after I return. |
| Closing politely | I shall be grateful if you grant me leave. / Kindly approve my leave. |
| Extension | I request you to extend my leave up to… / My leave was due to end on…, but… |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| ❌ Wrong | ✅ Right |
|---|---|
| I am having fever, so I cannot come. | I have a fever, so I cannot attend school. |
| Please give me leave for some days. | Please grant me leave for three days, from 16 to 18 November 2026. |
| Subject: Leave | Subject: Application for sick leave |
| Dear Principal, | Respected Sir/Madam, |
| Giving no dates, or only "tomorrow" | Always give the exact dates and the number of days |
| A very long story about the illness | One or two sentences of reason |
Keep the register formal: Formal vs Informal English explains which words to avoid. If you also need to announce an event after you return, see the notice writing format.
✏️ Quick Practice — Leave Applications
- Correct the sentence: "I am having a fever since yesterday."
- Write a suitable subject line for a leave application for your sister's wedding.
- Which salutation suits a school application: "Hi Sir," or "Respected Sir,"?
- Which close suits a school application: "Yours obediently," or "Love,"?
- In the sentence "I request you to grant me leave ___ 16 November ___ 18 November", fill in the two missing words.
- What must every leave application state apart from the reason?
- Why should an office application mention who will cover your work?
- Rewrite more politely: "Give me leave tomorrow."
Answers: 1. I have had a fever since yesterday. | 2. Application for leave to attend my sister's wedding (any short, specific subject) | 3. Respected Sir, | 4. Yours obediently, | 5. from, to | 6. The exact dates and the number of days | 7. It shows responsibility and tells the manager that the work will not stop | 8. I request you to kindly grant me leave for tomorrow, 16 November 2026. (any polite version)
Summary
A leave application is a short formal letter or email with the addressee, date, subject, salutation, three short paragraphs and a polite close. State who you are, the reason, the exact dates and a request for approval; at work, add who will cover your tasks. Use Respected Sir/Madam and Yours obediently for school and college, Dear Sir/Madam and Yours sincerely for the office, and keep every sentence polite and formal. For the full layout, review the formal letter format.