A Permission Letter to Study While Working is an official letter written by an employee to request their employer to allow them to study while working.
The letter should include which course you are enrolled in, the maximum number of hours that will be devoted to studying, what days or hours your study sessions will be held on, and the specific date that the permission letter is being issued.
All full-time or part-time employees who intend to study while working must write a permission letter to seek official approval from their employer before enrolling in a given course or making any study plans. Some employers have policies that forbid employees from studying while working; thus, failing to obtain official authorization to study while working from the employer may result in an employee being reprimanded or even fired.
An application for permission to study while working provides the employer the chance to review your request, assess whether giving you time off to study will negatively affect their day-to-day business operations, and then decide whether they will allow you or not. The permission letter also gives the employer the chance to review you seriously as a possible future employee as it goes into your permanent employment record.
Employers are also more likely to hire or promote an employee interested in advancing their career, who has taken the initiative by applying and getting permission to study. Writing the permission letter to study while working is also viewed as an act of trust and honesty on the part of the employee; thus, the employer may be willing to grant them the permission they need, even if working while studying is against the employer’s policies.
How to Write a Permission Letter
A permission letter to study while working is an official business correspondence that goes into an employee’s permanent employment record. The letter should be written professionally, and the language used should be simple and straightforward. The tone used should also be polite and formal, and the entire document must be professionally formatted.
The following section provides a comprehensive guide on writing effective letters of permission to study while working:
Give details of the job position you hold
It is essential to include details about your current job position in the introductory paragraph. Briefly introduce yourself by stating your full name, add your job title, mention the number of hours you work, and include the name of your respective department. This will help your employer understand the role you play in their company.
State your reason for writing the letter
After providing details about yourself and the job position you hold within the organization, provide a brief explanation of your reason for writing the permission letter. In this context, mention that you are seeking approval to enroll in a given educational program, then briefly state why you need to study while working.
Provide details of the course of study
A well-crafted permission letter to study while working must contain all the details relating to the course you are planning to take. This includes the institution’s name, address, mobile phone number, and contact personnel such as the department head or administrator; the course name; anticipated date of commencement of studies; duration of the course; fees; where it will be held; and the course schedule.
Providing details about your course of study in the permission letter is crucial because it is the essence of the letter. It is what the employer wants to read, and they may use this information to distinguish genuine requests from those that are not.
Explain your future plans
Use one or more paragraphs to describe your plans for managing work and studies during the period you will be studying. This is a crucial part of the permission letter because it gives the employer a clear picture of your long-term goals. Provide sufficient details about how you will divide time between studies, your workload, and necessary days off for studying or work.
While writing this section, you should demonstrate how you will achieve a balance between schoolwork and your current job duties and responsibilities to convince the management or your employer further to permit you to study. Besides, be sure to mention that your current hours of employment will not be affected by the additional time you intend to devote to your studies.
Describe your requirements
Your permission letter to study while working must also contain a discussion about the number of hours you will need for study, what days of the week you will be attending classes, the time, and the number of day-offs you will need to ensure you successfully meet and complete the requirements of your course.
Make sure that your requirements are reasonable, considering your current work commitments and level of attendance at work. If you need any financial assistance from your employer to complete your studies, consider describing it in this section, and provide as much detail as possible.
To make the permission letter more convincing for the reader, consider explaining briefly how enrolling in the study program will benefit both you and the company in terms of employee performance and increased future job opportunities with the organization.
For example, in your permission letter, mention that you are a valuable employee who can achieve even more in their current position with further education.
Thank your employer for their support
Showing gratitude to your employer for their support may seem like a small gesture, but it demonstrates your thankfulness and shows that you are mindful of the employer’s support. So, briefly thank your employer for their support, even though they may not approve your request. You may also include a statement about how you will continue to be an asset to the organization and how your studies can improve your performance as a top-level employee.
Provide your contact details for a follow-up
Conclude your permission letter to study while working by reiterating your reason for writing the letter, then provide your contact information to leave the door open for a follow-up or any feedback from your employer or the management. For example, you may provide your reliable email address or mobile phone number and politely ask the employer to contact you if they need any further information.
Afterward, use an appropriate sign-off such as sincerely, yours truly, etc., to end the letter and then include your signature, printed name, job position, and employment status with the company.
Sample Permission Letter for Study While Working
Here are some professionally crafted sample letters for you:
Sample 01
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr. /Ms. Last Name:
I am employed with your organization in the capacity of ____________ (capacity/job title). I draft this letter to seek permission from you to pursue my __________________ (course of study). I know it is against the organizational employment policy to engage in any duty besides work.
Nonetheless, I have put in place solid measures to make up for the time that I shall be away. I have already presented a plan that shall see me alter my work periods to set aside ample time to pursue my studies.
The _________________ (institution applied for) asked two things from me with regards to this issue. For one, they have requested that you send them an express written person directly. Then, they have also asked that you remit my annual fees _______________ (specify exact amount) directly to them___________ (account number).
You have to send the written person within a fortnight from now. The other will come in later after I have already received my registration number.
Feel free to reach out to me for any clarification if need be. I sincerely hope that you won’t let me down.
Respectfully,
Signature (hard copy letter)
FirstName LastName
Sample 02
Date,
Name of (Manager, Supervisor, Boss)
Name of Department
Institution Name
Office Address
SUB: Application for Permission to Continue Working as I Study
Sir/ Madam,
I am happy to inform you that I have successfully secured an opportunity to join (name of campus/ college) to study (name of course). It has been my dream to complete my studies, and this chance presents me with the perfect opportunity. However, I wish to continue working at the organization while still taking my classes because I need the working experience and the salary to fund my studies.
Since I started working in this organization, I have managed to complete my tasks on time and have always taken extra shifts. That is why I believe I am capable of handling school and work together. Therefore, my request is to allow me to be absent during class and exam time, and I will recover the time lost by taking extra shifts and working on my off days.
I have attached a fully detailed work schedule that shows the days and times that I will be absent for school work and indicates how the time will be recovered throughout the week. This plan gives you complete assurance that my work performance will not be affected by my school work, nor will it make me unproductive.
Kindly take into consideration my request and allow me the opportunity to be your employee and still improve my academic portfolio. You can reach out to me through my (phone number) or (email). Your response will be highly appreciated
Yours sincerely
Your Name
Job Title
Signature
Sample 03
Name of the Employee
Employee’s Address
City, State Zip Code
Phone number
Date
Name of (Supervisor/ Manager/ Boss)
Title
Name of Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear MR./MS. Surname
RE: Request for Permission to Study While Working
My name is (mention your name), an employee of your organization working in the capacity of a (mention your job title). I write this letter to ask for your permission to continue working in my capacity as I pursue my studies in (mention the course of study).  I am aware that the organizational policy does allow employees to engage in activities other than work. However, I would like to give you complete assurance that my studies will not interfere with my job performance and promise to cover up for the time I will be studying by taking extra shifts on days that I don’t have classes. I have attached a copy of my work schedule for every week, including how the class and study time will be recovered by working on my off days.
I am fully capable of multitasking, and you can be sure that all my working hours per week will not be interfered with; instead will be compensated with extra shifts and working on my off days. I want to retain my job while studying because I will depend on the salary to fund my school fee and cater for my bills. Therefore, my job is vital to me, and I would wish to keep working for your organization as I study. I will begin studying in (date, month, year) and complete the study in (date, month, year).
Your consideration to help out with my plight to continue working as I study would be highly appreciated. Looking forward to your response and you can reach me through my email or phone Â
Truthfully,
(Employee’s name).
Downloadable Templates
If you are still having difficulty crafting an effective permission letter to study while working or simply want to save time and effort writing a letter from scratch; you can consider downloading free permission letter templates to help make your work easier and more convenient. Permission letter templates are usually pre-written following the accepted standard format, with fields for keying in the relevant details and a comprehensive guideline on the type of information to provide.
With a template, you are sure to include all the required information to convince your employer to grant your request, and your only task will be to customize the template as per your needs, then print it out for use. Such professional permission letter templates are available to download for free from below.
Final Thoughts
If you are among the people that need to pursue higher education while still maintaining their source of income, be sure to craft a well-written and professionally formatted permission letter requesting your employer to allow you to study while working. Your permission letter must contain all the relevant details relating to your job position with the employer, the course of study you intend to take, your long-term plans for balancing work and school, and include your requirements to complete the course successfully.
Your permission letter must also demonstrate your gratefulness to your employer for their support, and it must be considerate of the employer’s needs and resources as well as your own. By taking into account all these essential tips and standard practices to write a permission letter to study while working, you are sure to convince your employer to grant you permission, sign up for your course, attend classes as per your course schedule and focus on your studies without worrying about compromising your work in any way.
