Study leave policy template
Copy the text below and replace everything in square brackets with your company details.
1. Purpose
This policy sets out the time off employees of [Company Name] can take for examinations and approved courses, so that learning is supported without disrupting work.
2. Scope
It applies to confirmed employees pursuing a course or qualification that HR has approved as relevant to their current or planned role. Support for fees is covered by the Education assistance policy.
3. Types of study leave
- Exam leave: paid leave for the days of written examinations, plus [1] preparation day before each paper.
- Course attendance: paid time off for contact classes held during working hours, where the company sponsors the course.
- Long study leave: unpaid or partly paid leave of up to [12] months for a full-time course approved by management.
4. Limits
- Exam and preparation leave will not exceed [10] working days in a leave year.
- Exam leave is granted for up to [two] attempts at the same paper.
- Study leave is not carried forward or encashed.
5. Approval
- The employee registers the course with HR on enrolment, with details of the institution, duration and exam schedule.
- Exam leave is applied for at least [15] days before the exam, with a copy of the admit card or timetable.
- Long study leave is applied for at least [3] months ahead and needs the department head's recommendation and the HR head's approval.
6. Service commitment
- An employee granted paid long study leave agrees in writing, before the leave starts, to serve the company for [12] months after returning.
- If the employee leaves within that period, the salary paid during study leave is recovered in proportion to the unserved months, as agreed in that document.
7. Employee obligations
- Share the results with HR within [30] days of their announcement.
- Return to work on the day after the last exam unless other leave is approved.
- Inform HR at once if the course is discontinued.
8. Responsibilities
- Managers: plan work around known exam dates and support employees who are studying.
- HR: approve courses, check documents, track the yearly limit and keep service commitments on file.
9. Review
Every [2] years, HR reviews study leave use, exam results and the retention of employees who took long study leave, and adjusts the limits accordingly.
What to include
Time off, not fees
Keep study leave about time off and handle fees in a separate education assistance policy. Mixing both in one document makes approvals and recoveries confusing.
Relevance to the role
Ask for courses to be registered and linked to the employee's current or planned role. This keeps the benefit focused on skills the company can use.
Proof of exams
Ask for the admit card or timetable when applying and the result afterwards. Exam dates are published well in advance, so these documents are easy to provide.
A yearly limit
Cap exam and preparation leave each year. Professional exams such as CA or CMA can involve many papers, and without a cap one person's exam season can empty a small accounts team.
Service commitment for long leave
For paid long study leave, agree a service commitment and a proportionate recovery in writing before the leave starts. Keep the recovery reasonable and linked to what the company actually paid.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Granting exam leave without any proof of the exam dates.
- Paying for months of full-time study with no written service commitment.
- Allowing unlimited attempts at the same paper on paid leave.
- Treating study leave and fee reimbursement as one benefit with one approval.
- Refusing exam leave in a busy month when the exam dates were known months earlier.
Run it in ZeniaHR
The rules for a study leave type in ZeniaHR Leave Applications can set minimum service, notice, the maximum days per application and a document requirement, and approval goes from the reporting manager to HR. Admit cards, results and signed service commitments are kept in the employee's documents. Learning can also record external programs, and marking one complete issues a certificate number, which gives HR a record of qualifications gained.
See it on your own data
A 30-minute demo on a video call. We set up your departments, shifts and leave rules and show attendance, leave and payroll running for your team. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What is study leave?
Study leave is time off an employer gives an employee to sit examinations or attend a course. It usually covers exam days and a preparation day before each paper, and sometimes a longer unpaid or partly paid break for a full-time course, subject to approval and a service commitment.
Is exam leave paid?
Study leave policies usually pay for exam days and a short preparation period, within a yearly limit, while long breaks for full-time study are usually unpaid or partly paid. The policy should state both clearly so employees can plan their exam season around it.
Can a company recover salary if an employee leaves after study leave?
It can agree a recovery in advance. A written service commitment signed before paid long study leave, with recovery in proportion to the unserved period, is the usual approach. Keep the amount reasonable and linked to what the company paid, and take legal advice before enforcing it.
Is study leave the same as education assistance?
No. Study leave is time off for exams and courses, while education assistance covers money, such as fee reimbursement. A company may offer both, but they belong in separate policies with separate approvals, because their eligibility and recovery rules differ.