Application for Sick Leave: Format and 12 Samples for School
Updated
The correct format for an application for sick leave, 12 ready samples for students and parents, and a fill-in version you can print in minutes.
An application for sick leave is a short formal letter that a student writes to the principal or class teacher to report an illness and request leave for specific dates. It names the illness, gives the exact dates, and promises to cover missed work. This guide gives you the correct format, 12 ready samples and a fill-in version you can print.
Key Takeaways
- Address a sick leave application to the principal unless your school asks you to write to the class teacher.
- State the illness, the exact dates and the number of days in the first two lines of the body.
- Attach a medical certificate when the leave is long; CBSE asks for a government doctor’s certificate before it relaxes the 75% attendance rule for medical reasons.
- Submit planned leave before the absence and sudden illness leave on the day you return.
- Keep the letter under 120 words. Principals read dozens of these every week.
What Is an Application for Sick Leave?
An application for sick leave is a written request to be excused from school because of illness. It creates a record in the school register, so your absence counts as authorised leave instead of an unexplained absence.
Schools use this record for more than discipline. For example, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) requires 75% attendance for Class 10 and Class 12 board exams. However, the Board allows a relaxation of up to 25% for medical emergencies, provided the school sends a parent’s request, a medical certificate from a government doctor and its own recommendation. A clean trail of sick leave applications makes that case much easier.
Sick Leave Application Format
Every sick leave application follows the same seven-part structure. The table below shows each part and what to write in it.
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Receiver | Designation, school name and city | To, The Principal, Delhi Public School, Pune |
| 2. Date | The day you submit the letter | 12 October 2026 |
| 3. Subject | One line with the purpose and dates | Application for sick leave from 12 to 14 October |
| 4. Salutation | Formal greeting | Respected Sir/Madam, |
| 5. Body | Who you are, the illness, the dates, a request | I am Riya Sharma of Class VIII-B… |
| 6. Closing | Thanks and a respectful sign-off | Thanking you. Yours obediently, |
| 7. Signature block | Name, class, section and roll number | Riya Sharma, VIII-B, Roll No. 24 |
Which details make the application complete?
- Name, class, section and roll number. Consequently, the office can match the letter to the right register without asking.
- Illness in plain words. “High fever and throat infection” works better than “not feeling well”.
- Exact dates. Write “from 12 October to 14 October 2026 (3 days)” instead of “for a few days”.
- Doctor’s advice. Mention it if a doctor advised rest, and attach the certificate when you have one.
- Parent’s signature. Many schools expect it for students below Class 9.
Write Your Application for Sick Leave in 60 Seconds
Type your details in the form below. The letter updates as you type, and you can copy, print or save it as a PDF. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
To,
The Principal,
[School name],
[City]
Date:
Subject: Application for sick leave from [from date] to [to date]
Respected Sir/Madam,
I am [your name], a student of [class and section] in your school. I am suffering from [illness], and the doctor has advised me to rest at home. Therefore, I will not be able to attend school from [from date] to [to date].
Kindly grant me leave for these days. I will complete the classwork and homework I miss as soon as I return.
Thanking you.
Yours obediently,
[your name]
[class and section], Roll No. [roll number]
12 Application for Sick Leave Samples
Pick the sample closest to your situation and change the names, dates and illness. Each one follows the format above, so you only need to edit the details.
Sample 1: Application for sick leave due to fever (one day)
To,
The Principal,
Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2,
Jaipur
Date: 14 October 2026
Subject: Application for one day sick leave
Respected Madam,
I am Aarav Gupta of Class VI-A. I had high fever last night, so I could not attend school today, 14 October 2026. Kindly grant me leave for one day.
I will collect today’s notes from my classmates.
Yours obediently,
Aarav Gupta
Class VI-A, Roll No. 11
Sample 2: Application for sick leave for 3 days
To,
The Principal,
St. Xavier’s High School,
Mumbai
Date: 20 October 2026
Subject: Leave for three days due to viral fever
Respected Sir,
I am Neha Joshi, a student of Class IX-C. I am suffering from viral fever, and my doctor has advised three days of rest. Therefore, I request leave from 20 October to 22 October 2026.
I will submit the medical certificate when I rejoin school.
Thanking you.
Yours obediently,
Neha Joshi
Class IX-C, Roll No. 32
Sample 3: Sick leave application written by a parent
To,
The Class Teacher,
Class III-B,
Green Valley Public School, Lucknow
Date: 5 November 2026
Subject: Leave application for my son
Respected Madam,
My son, Kabir Singh of Class III-B, has a stomach infection and could not come to school on 4 and 5 November 2026. The doctor has asked him to rest for two days.
Kindly grant him leave for these days. He will complete his pending work with my help.
Yours sincerely,
Harpreet Singh (Father)
Mobile: 98XXXXXX10
Sample 4: Sick leave application after absence
To,
The Principal,
Army Public School,
Bengaluru
Date: 10 November 2026
Subject: Leave application for absence due to typhoid
Respected Sir,
I am Tanvi Rao of Class X-A. I was absent from 6 November to 8 November 2026 because I had typhoid. As a result, I could not inform the school in advance.
Kindly grant me leave for these three days. I have attached the medical certificate from my doctor.
Thanking you.
Yours obediently,
Tanvi Rao
Class X-A, Roll No. 7
Sample 5: Application for sick leave for a week
To,
The Principal,
Delhi Public School,
Noida
Date: 2 December 2026
Subject: Leave for one week due to chickenpox
Respected Madam,
I am Ishaan Verma of Class VII-D. I have been diagnosed with chickenpox, and the doctor has advised me to stay at home for seven days so that the infection does not spread. Consequently, I request leave from 2 December to 8 December 2026.
I will rejoin school with a fitness certificate.
Yours obediently,
Ishaan Verma
Class VII-D, Roll No. 19
Sample 6: Application for sick leave due to cold and cough
To,
The Class Teacher,
Class V-A,
Little Flower School, Hyderabad
Date: 9 December 2026
Subject: Leave for two days due to cold and cough
Respected Sir,
I am Meera Reddy of Class V-A. I have a bad cold and cough, and I need rest. Please grant me leave on 9 and 10 December 2026.
I will finish my homework once I recover.
Your obedient student,
Meera Reddy
Class V-A
Sample 7: Application for sick leave due to an injury
To,
The Principal,
Sacred Heart Convent School,
Ludhiana
Date: 12 January 2027
Subject: Application for leave due to a leg injury
Respected Madam,
I am Gurleen Kaur of Class VIII-A. I injured my ankle while playing basketball yesterday, and the doctor has advised complete rest for five days. Therefore, I request leave from 12 January to 16 January 2027.
I will attend school once my leg heals. Meanwhile, my friend will share the class notes with me.
Yours obediently,
Gurleen Kaur
Class VIII-A, Roll No. 15
Sample 8: Sick leave application for hospital admission
To,
The Principal,
Government Senior Secondary School,
Bhopal
Date: 18 January 2027
Subject: Application for leave due to hospitalisation
Respected Sir,
I am writing to inform you that my daughter, Ananya Mishra of Class XI-B, has been admitted to AIIMS Bhopal with dengue. The doctors expect her to stay in hospital for about a week.
Therefore, I request leave for her from 18 January to 25 January 2027. I will submit the discharge summary and medical certificate when she rejoins.
Yours faithfully,
Rakesh Mishra (Father)
Sample 9: Sick leave application for a board exam student
To,
The Principal,
Ryan International School,
Ahmedabad
Date: 22 January 2027
Subject: Application for medical leave with certificate
Respected Madam,
I am Dev Patel of Class XII-A (Science). I was suffering from jaundice and could not attend school from 11 January to 21 January 2027. I have attached a medical certificate from the Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.
Kindly record this period as medical leave, as my attendance will count for board exam eligibility.
Thanking you.
Yours obediently,
Dev Patel
Class XII-A, Roll No. 9
Sample 10: Half-day sick leave application
To,
The Class Teacher,
Class VI-C,
DAV Public School, Chandigarh
Date: 3 February 2027
Subject: Request to leave school early
Respected Madam,
I am Sara Khan of Class VI-C. I have a severe headache and feel dizzy. Kindly allow me to go home after the fourth period today. My mother will pick me up from the school gate.
Yours obediently,
Sara Khan
Class VI-C
Sample 11: Sick leave application for an eye infection
To,
The Principal,
Holy Cross School,
Kolkata
Date: 8 February 2027
Subject: Application for leave due to conjunctivitis
Respected Sir,
I am Arjun Das of Class IV-B. I have conjunctivitis, which spreads easily. The doctor has advised me to stay at home until my eyes heal. Hence, I request leave from 8 February to 11 February 2027.
Kindly grant me leave for these four days.
Yours obediently,
Arjun Das
Class IV-B
Sample 12: Application for sick leave by email
Subject: Sick leave application: Riya Sharma, Class VIII-B, 12–13 October 2026
Dear Ma’am,
My daughter, Riya Sharma of Class VIII-B (Roll No. 24), has a fever and cannot attend school on 12 and 13 October 2026. Please grant her leave for these two days.
She will rejoin on 14 October and complete the missed work.
Regards,
Sunita Sharma (Mother)
Mobile: 97XXXXXX45
When Do You Need a Medical Certificate?
Rules differ from school to school. Still, most schools in India follow a similar pattern, which the table below summarises.
| Length of leave | Usually needed | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 days | A leave application signed by a parent | Keeps the absence authorised |
| 3 days or more | Leave application plus a doctor’s certificate | Many schools ask for proof beyond a short illness |
| Infectious disease | Medical certificate and a fitness certificate on return | Protects other students |
| Class 10 or 12 attendance shortage | Parent’s request, government doctor’s certificate, school recommendation | CBSE lists these documents for relaxing the 75% attendance rule on medical grounds |
Moreover, CBSE asks schools to report attendance shortage cases to its regional office in early January, before the board exams. So, if you miss many days through illness in Class 10 or 12, submit your application and certificate promptly instead of waiting until the end of the term.
Common Mistakes in a Sick Leave Application
- Vague dates. “For some days” forces the office to follow up. Always give the start date, end date and number of days.
- Wrong receiver. Write to the principal for long leave. For one or two days, many schools accept a note to the class teacher.
- Informal language. Avoid “Hi Sir” or text-message spellings. Use “Respected Sir/Madam”.
- Missing roll number. Without it, the teacher may struggle to find you in a large class.
- Overlong reasons. One clear sentence about the illness is enough. You do not need to describe symptoms in detail.
Sick Leave Application for Students vs Employees
Students and employees both write a sick leave application, but the details differ. Similarly, the tone changes slightly. Use this comparison to pick the right version.
| Point | Student | Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Addressed to | Principal or class teacher | Reporting manager or HR |
| Identifier | Class, section, roll number | Employee ID, department |
| Sign-off | Yours obediently | Yours sincerely |
| Extra detail | Promise to cover classwork | Handover plan and contact number |
| Delivery | Printed letter or school diary note | Email or HR portal |
If you need the office version, see our guide to the leave application formats for work. You can also browse the full list of school and college letters, or use the Letter Generator for a ready letter in English or Hindi.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write an application for sick leave?
Address it to the principal, add the date and a one-line subject, then state your name, class, illness and exact leave dates. Close with a request to grant leave, a thank-you and your name, class and roll number.
Who should I address a sick leave application to?
Address it to the principal for leave of three days or more. For a day or two, many schools accept an application to the class teacher. Follow your school diary rules if they say otherwise.
Is a medical certificate compulsory for sick leave?
Not always. Short illness usually needs only a parent-signed application. Schools often ask for a doctor’s certificate for three or more days, and for infectious diseases they may also ask for a fitness certificate.
Can I submit a sick leave application after the leave?
Yes. When illness is sudden, submit the application on the day you return and mention that you could not inform the school earlier. Attach a certificate if the absence was long.
Should a parent sign my sick leave application?
Most schools expect a parent’s signature for students up to Class 8, and many ask for it in all classes. Add “Signature of parent” with the parent’s name below your own details.
How long should a sick leave application be?
Keep it between 60 and 120 words. State the illness, dates and request clearly; a longer letter does not improve the chance of approval.
Does sick leave count towards the CBSE 75% attendance rule?
Days of absence still reduce attendance. However, CBSE can relax the requirement by up to 25% for medical emergencies if the school forwards a parent’s request, a government doctor’s certificate and its recommendation.
Final Tips Before You Submit
A good application for sick leave is short, specific and polite. Therefore, check the dates, the class and roll number, and the parent’s signature before you hand it in. Keep a photo of the signed letter on your phone as well, since it helps if the school later asks about the absence.
For long illnesses in Class 10 or 12, attach medical proof early, because board exam eligibility depends on attendance records. Finally, save time next term by bookmarking the Local Letter homepage for every other school application you may need.