Discover more about the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of Kenya’s application for study leave with or without pay and download the study leave form in PDF format.
Find out TSC study leave requirements, eligibility, and required documents, and explore the accredited local universities, Teacher Training Colleges, and National Polytechnic, Higher Diploma, masters, and degree course areas that qualify for study leave.
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Teachers Service Commission Application for Study Leave
The study leave application form has been modified to show the number of streams in a school and the number of teachers on study leave. It will apply to all teachers wishing to proceed on study leave. A specimen copy of the study leave application form is herewith attached. On receipt of the study leave application, the Commission will decide whether one qualifies for:
- Study leave with pay
- Study leave without pay
- No study leave in which case the teacher will be required to resign or be deemed to have deserted if he/she proceeds with studies.
The Procedure for Applying for TSC Study Leave
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Application for study leave will be forwarded to the Commission at least three months prior to commencement of studies. Where Government scholarship is received late the Commission will consider late application.
Documents Required for TSC Study Leave
The application form will be completed in triplicate and the copies distributed as follows:-
- The original copy will be forwarded to TSC by The County Director,
- The duplicate copy will be retained in the office of The County Director
- The triplicate copy will be retained in the institution
TSC Study Leave Application Eligibility
To qualify for Teachers Service Commission study leave, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria.
- Teachers will qualify for study leave only when they are attending full-time studies.
- Teachers pursuing studies for their first degree will not qualify for any study leave
- The number of teachers on study leave at any one time should not exceed 2% of a county’s primary school’s teacher population.
- For post-primary institutions, the number will be limited to one teacher for a single-streamed school, two for a double-streamed school, three for a triple-streamed school, and four for four streams and above. There should not be more than one teacher on study leave from a department at any one time.
- A newly employed teacher will not qualify for study leave unless he/she has worked for the Teachers Service Commission for five years.
- A teacher will not qualify for study leave if he/she wishes to study in an area that is not in the school curricula or in the Study Leave Policy.
- A teacher will only qualify for study leave after serving for three years since the expiry of the previous study leave, whether such leave was with or without pay except for KCSE certificate cases who will be required to serve for one year.
- A teacher on study leave will be required to submit a semester progress report to the Teachers Service Commission Headquarters at the end of each semester.
- A teacher will be required to submit the certificate one year after completion or the expiry of the leave. Teachers who for any reason are unable to complete or pass their courses will be required to report back to the commission immediately and produce documentary evidence of the part of the course covered and the reasons for the inability to complete the course. A teacher who does not pass the course will not qualify for any other leave thereafter.
- Teachers on study leave will remain answerable to the headteacher in their duty station. For that reason, teachers on study leave should report to the headteacher for the assignment of duties when there are interruptions in their programmes.
- Extension of study leave will be limited to a maximum of three months and will be without pay
- Teachers admitted to foreign universities who are self-sponsored will only qualify for unpaid study leave.
- A teacher on study leave will be required to apply for posting in writing to the Teachers Service Commission at least 30 days before the completion of the programme for which the leave was granted or the expiry of the leave.
- Teachers above fifty-five (55) years of age will not qualify for study leave for courses exceeding 6 months.
- On expiry of study leave teachers may not necessarily be posted to their former stations.
- Upon approval of study leave, a teacher will be bonded to serve in the Public Service for varying periods based on the duration of the leave.
- Teachers pursuing master’s degrees through school-based or part-time programmes will qualify for a maximum of 3 months leave to carry out research. However, this leave cannot be extended.
TSC Study Leave with Pay
The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave with pay.
- Teachers selected for training locally or abroad by the Commission, Ministry of Education or the Ministry of State for Public Service provided they fulfill all other conditions attached to study leave.
- Untrained Graduate Teachers in the employment of Teachers Service Commission, studying for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in approved Universities.
- Untrained Technical Teachers, Assistant Lecturers, and Lecturers in the employment of Teachers Service Commission, undertaking professional training at Kenya Technical Teachers College or a postgraduate diploma in a recognized university.
- Trained Technical Teachers and lectures in the employment of Teachers Service Commission admitted to National Polytechnics and accredited local universities for Higher Diploma and master’s degrees in the following course areas:
Engineering Courses
- Mechanical Engineering/Agricultural Engineering/Water Engineering
- Motor Vehicle Mechanics/Automotive Engineering
- Electrical engineering/Electronics engineering
- Structures/Civil Engineering/Construction/Architecture
- Computer Science/Engineering
- Clothing, Fashion Design and Textile Technology
Applied Sciences/Technology Medical Laboratory Technology
- Pharmacy
- Applied Biology Food & Beverage and Hotel Management
- Food Science & Technology
- Library Science
- Food Nutrition & Dietetics
- Bakery Management Institutional Management
Business Studies
- CPA/CPS part III
- Secretarial Studies Co-operative Management
- Supplies Management
- Information Technology
- Tourism Management
Technical Education
- Ed Technology
- Master of Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training
- P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Kenya Institute of Special Education to study a Diploma in Special Education.
- Teachers admitted in accredited local Universities to study for Masters Degrees in the following areas:-
- History
- Geography
- Christian Religious Education
- Islamic Religious Education
- English
- Kiswahili
- French
- German
- Arabic
- Fine Art
- Art & Design
- Music
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Agriculture
- Business studies
- Special Education
- Curriculum Development
- Ed Technology
- The Commission will limit the number of teachers pursuing these non-core areas to 15% of the total number of teachers on study leave
- Guidance and Counseling/Education Psychology/ Counseling Psychology
- Education Planning and Administration
- Entrepreneurship
- Project Management & Development,
- MBA: Human Resource Management & Development, Strategic Management,
- Project Planning & Management
TSC Study Leave without Pay
The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave without pay:
- P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Diploma Colleges provided the subject studied is in the school curricula
- PL/AT IV teachers admitted to National Polytechnics or Institutes of Technology for areas relevant to the teaching curricula
- Teachers admitted to accredited Universities for master’s degree courses in the following areas:
- Early Childhood Education
- Physical Education
- Research
- Environmental Studies HIV Aids, Disaster Management
- Gender-Based Courses
- Poverty Eradication
- Sustainable Development
- Conflict resolution
- Education Communications Technology and Media Studies
- Teachers studying for PHDs.
Download the TSC Study Leave Application Form PDF
Here’s the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) study leave application form in PDF format.
Download a PDF of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Study Leave Application Form.
