Quick answer
A leave application has six parts: the date, who it is addressed to, a subject line that names the leave, the dates you will be away and the reason in one or two sentences, how your work will be covered, and your name and signature. Give it before the leave starts — or, for sickness, on the first day you can.
A leave application is the shortest formal letter most people ever write, and it is refused or questioned for the same few reasons: no dates, no reason, or it arrives after the leave has already started. Here is the format, and complete samples for an office, for sick leave and for school.
On this page
- Leave application format — the six parts
- Leave application for office (personal reason)
- Sick leave application for office
- Leave application for school — to the principal or class teacher
- Leave application by a school teacher to the principal
- Leave application by email
- Writing it in Nepali
- The mistakes that get leave questioned
01Leave application format — the six parts
- 1Date — the day you hand it in, at the top.
- 2To — the person who approves leave: your manager or HR in an office, the principal or class teacher at school.
- 3Subject — one line that says what it is: “Application for three days’ leave”.
- 4Body — the exact dates, from and to, the number of days, and the reason in a sentence or two. You do not have to explain a personal reason in detail.
- 5Cover — who will handle your work, or that you have completed it. This is the line that gets leave approved quickly.
- 6Close — a thank-you, your name, designation or class, and your signature.
02Leave application for office (personal reason)
03Sick leave application for office
Send a message or call on the first morning, then give the written application on the day you can. Attach the doctor’s note or prescription if you have one — offices usually ask for it when the leave is longer than a couple of days.
04Leave application for school — to the principal or class teacher
A student’s application is addressed to the principal, or to the class teacher for a day or two. A parent can write and sign it for a young child.
05Leave application by a school teacher to the principal
06Leave application by email
The same six parts, shorter. Put the dates in the subject so the approver sees them without opening it: “Leave request — 12 to 14 Kartik (3 days)”. In the body: the dates, the reason in one line, and who is covering. Send it to the person who approves, and copy HR if your office works that way.
07Writing it in Nepali
For a government office, a school that works in Nepali, or a ward office, write a निवेदन instead: श्रीमान्… ज्यू, a विषय line, the dates and the reason, then your signature. The निवेदन tool writes one in the form offices expect, and the Nepali guide explains each part.
08The mistakes that get leave questioned
- No dates. “A few days” cannot be approved. Give the first and last day and the count.
- Applying after the leave. Except for sudden illness, apply before you go — a day ahead for one day, a week ahead for longer.
- Too much detail. The office needs the reason, not the story.
- No cover. Say who has your work. It is the first thing a manager wonders.
- Assuming it is approved. An application is a request. Wait for the yes.
Common questions
How do I write a leave application for office for a personal reason?
Address it to your manager, give a subject such as “Application for two days’ leave”, state the exact dates, write “for a personal reason” or “for a family matter”, say who will cover your work, and sign. You do not have to explain the personal reason.
How do I write a sick leave application?
State what is wrong in a few words, the dates you need off, and that a doctor has advised rest if one has. Attach the prescription or medical note for longer leave. Inform the office by phone or message on the first day and hand in the application when you can.
How many days of leave am I entitled to?
It is in your appointment letter or your organisation’s staff rules, which is where the numbers that apply to you are written. Nepal’s Labour Act sets minimums for annual and sick leave, and many employers give more. Ask HR for your balance before you apply.
Can I send a leave application by email or message?
If your office accepts it, yes — email is normal in most private offices, and a message is usually fine for a sudden sick day, followed by the written application. Schools and government offices generally still expect it on paper.
Who do I address a leave application to?
The person who approves your leave: your reporting manager or HR in an office, the principal or class teacher in a school, the head of department or campus chief in a college.