Character Certificate from School, College or Employer – Application Format (Word)

A character certificate from your school, college or employer is a letter on the institution’s letterhead. The principal, head of department or HR manager signs it and stamps it with the institution’s seal. It certifies your conduct and character during your time there.

You write a short application to ask for it. The letter takes one page. This guide gives you the format, three ready sample letters and the documents to attach. It is not the police character certificate. That one comes from the police after verification, and our police character certificate guide explains it.

Character Certificate at a Glance#

What	Detail
What it is	A letter on the institution’s letterhead certifying your conduct and character
Who issues it	School principal, college principal, head of department, or employer HR manager
How to get it	Write a one-page application to the principal or HR office
Fee	No government fee; some institutions charge a small processing fee
Time	A few days, depending on the institution
Validity	No fixed expiry; most institutions want a recent one

What Is a Character Certificate from School, College or Employer?#

A character certificate is a formal document that confirms a person’s moral character and behaviour. The school, college or employer issues it from its own records. It says the person studied or worked there, for how long, and that their conduct was good.

Schools usually issue it with the leaving certificate and marksheet when a student finishes. Colleges do the same at the end of a degree. Employers issue it when an employee leaves, or when an ex-employee asks for it. If you need one later, you write an application to the principal or the HR office.

Government job advertisements usually ask for the police character certificate, not this one. Our documents checklist lists which certificate each job asks for. This school, college or employer certificate is mostly asked for in admissions, scholarships, private jobs and visa files.

School or Employer Certificate vs Police Character Certificate#

The two certificates are different documents from different issuers. Ask for the right one. A school certificate cannot replace a police certificate where the advertisement asks for police verification.

	School, college or employer certificate	Police character certificate
Issued by	Principal, head of department or HR manager	Police, after verification
What it proves	Conduct and character during study or employment	No criminal record, after police checks
Needed for	Admissions, scholarships, private jobs, visa files	Government jobs, passport, visa, arms licence
Fee	No government fee	Set by the police (see the police guide)
Where to get it	Your school, college or employer	Police Khidmat Markaz or online portal

If the advertisement or the receiving institution says “police character certificate”, get the police one. Our police character certificate guide explains the online process, the fee and the documents.

Who Can Issue a Character Certificate?#

Only the institution or employer that knows you from its own records can issue it. A friend, relative or classmate cannot issue a character certificate, even if they know you well. The receiving institution will not accept it.

Issuer	Who signs	For whom
School	Principal or headmaster	Current or ex-student
College or university	Principal or head of department	Current or ex-student
Employer	HR manager or immediate supervisor	Current or ex-employee

The certificate must carry the institution’s letterhead, the issuer’s name and designation, a signature and the official seal. A plain paper letter without a seal is not a character certificate.

What the Certificate Contains#

A proper character certificate carries the same details in every case. Check that all of them are on the certificate before you submit it.

Detail	Notes
Institution name and address	On the letterhead, with the principal or HR manager’s name and designation
Certificate number	Optional; some institutions number their certificates
Date of issue	The date the certificate was signed
Your full name	As per school, college or employment records
Father’s or guardian’s name	On school and college certificates
Date of birth and address	As per the institution’s records
Duration of study or employment	For example, 2021 to 2025
Behaviour statement	A line that your conduct and moral character were good
Purpose of issue	Why the certificate was issued, for example higher education or a job application
Signature and seal	Signature of the issuing authority and the institution’s official stamp

How to Write an Application for a Character Certificate#

The application is a formal letter of one page. You can hand it in at the office or send it by email if the institution accepts email requests. Follow these seven parts in order.

1. Date. Write the date at the top. A letter without a date is incomplete.
2. Recipient details. Write the name, designation, institution and address of the person you are writing to, for example the principal of your school or the HR manager of your employer.
3. Subject. Write a clear subject line, for example “Application for Character Certificate” or “Request for Character Certificate”.
4. Salutation. Address the recipient politely, for example “Respected Sir” or “Respected Madam”.
5. First paragraph: who you are and why you are writing. Give your name, your class and roll number or your designation and employee ID, and the purpose, for example admission to a university or a job application.
6. Second paragraph: your tenure and the documents attached. State the years you studied or worked there. Mention the documents you have attached, for example a CNIC copy and your marksheet or resignation letter.
7. Closing and signature. Request the certificate at the earliest, give your contact number, and sign with your full name.

Sample 1: Application to the School Principal#

Use this format when you are an ex-student of a school and need the certificate for admission or a job.

[Your address]
[City]
[Date]

To,
The Principal,
[School name],
[City]

Subject: Application for Character Certificate

Respected Sir,

I am [your full name], an ex-student of your school. I studied here from [year] to [year] in class [class], roll number [number]. I am writing to request a character certificate from the school. I need it for my admission to [college or university name]. The last date for submission is [date].

I have attached a copy of my CNIC and my marksheet for your reference. I request you to issue the certificate at the earliest.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Contact number]

Sample 2: Application to the College Principal#

Use this format when you are an ex-student of a college or university and need the certificate for higher studies or a job.

[Your address]
[City]
[Date]

To,
The Principal,
[College name],
[City]

Subject: Request for Character Certificate

Respected Madam,

I am [your full name], an ex-student of your college. I studied [degree or programme name] here from [year] to [year], registration number [number]. I am writing to request a character certificate. I need it for my admission to [university name] for [programme name]. The last date for submission is [date].

I have attached a copy of my CNIC and my degree and transcript for your reference. Please let me know if any other document is needed. I request you to issue the certificate at the earliest.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Contact number]

Sample 3: Application to the Employer (HR)#

Use this format when you are an ex-employee and a new employer has asked for a character certificate.

[Your address]
[City]
[Date]

To,
The HR Manager,
[Company name],
[City]

Subject: Application for Character Certificate

Respected Sir,

I am [your full name]. I worked in your organisation as [designation] in the [department] from [year] to [year], employee ID [number]. I am writing to request a character certificate. I have a new opportunity at [company name], and the company has asked me to submit a character certificate to process my application. The last date for submission is [date].

I have attached a copy of my CNIC, my employee ID card and my resignation letter for your reference. If you need anything else, please contact me on [phone number] or by email at [email address].

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Contact number]

Documents to Attach with the Application#

Attach copies, not originals. The office keeps the application and the copies on file.

• CNIC copy. Attach a copy of your CNIC in every case.
• Roll number or registration number. Write it in the letter so the office can find your record.
• Leaving certificate, marksheet, degree or transcript. For a school or college certificate, attach the document that proves you studied there.
• Employee ID card and resignation or relieving letter. For an employer certificate, attach the documents that prove you worked there.
• The form or letter from the receiving institution. If the college, university or employer gave you a form, attach it so the issuer knows what the certificate is for.

How Long Does It Take, and Is There a Fee?#

There is no official timeline and no government fee for a school, college or employer character certificate. The institution issues it itself, so the time depends on the institution. In most cases it takes a few days once your application reaches the principal’s or HR office. Ask the office when you submit the application.

Some institutions charge a small processing fee. The amount is set by the institution, not by any rule, so ask the office before you pay. There is no government portal that issues a school, college or employer character certificate. Some institutions accept the request by email. If a website asks you to pay for a school character certificate online, it is not the institution.

What to Check Before You Submit the Certificate#

Check these five things on the certificate before you hand it in. A mistake here can cost you the admission or the job.

• Name spelling. Your name must match your CNIC exactly.
• Dates. The duration of study or employment must match your records.
• Purpose. The purpose written on the certificate should match what you need it for.
• Signature and seal. The certificate must carry the issuer’s signature and the institution’s official stamp.
• Date of issue. The certificate should be recent. Most institutions want one issued within the last 6 months, so ask the receiving institution what it accepts.

If the Institution Has Closed#

If your school or college has closed, the board or university that issued your degree can sometimes give you a character certificate from its records. Ask the board or university office first. If your employer no longer exists, use your experience certificate and your resignation letter as proof of employment. Our experience certificate guide explains the format. An affidavit can also support your application in some cases; our affidavit guide explains the stamp paper and attestation.

For use abroad, some embassies ask for the certificate to be attested. Our MOFA attestation guide explains the online attestation process, the fee and the offices.

Mistakes to Avoid#

• Asking a friend or relative to issue it. Only the institution or employer can issue it.
• No date on the application. A letter without a date is incomplete.
• No purpose stated. Say why you need the certificate, or the office cannot write the purpose on it.
• Forgetting the CNIC copy. The office needs it to find your record.
• Submitting the wrong certificate. If the advertisement asks for a police character certificate, a school certificate will not work.
• Name spelling that does not match the CNIC. Fix the spelling in the institution’s records first.

Frequently Asked Questions#

How do I write an application for a character certificate?

Write a one-page formal letter. Start with the date, then the recipient’s name, designation, institution and address. Add the subject line “Application for Character Certificate”. In the first paragraph, give your name, your class and roll number or your designation and employee ID, and the purpose. In the second paragraph, state your tenure and the documents attached. Close by requesting the certificate at the earliest, and sign with your full name and contact number.

Who can issue a character certificate?

The principal or headmaster of your school, the principal or head of department of your college or university, or the HR manager or immediate supervisor of your employer. Only the institution or employer that knows you from its own records can issue it. A friend, relative or classmate cannot.

How long does it take to get a character certificate?

There is no official timeline. It depends on the institution, and in most cases it takes a few days once your application reaches the principal’s or HR office. Ask the office when you submit the application.

Is there a fee for a character certificate?

There is no government fee for a school, college or employer character certificate. Some institutions charge a small processing fee, and the amount is set by the institution. The police character certificate has its own fee, set by the police.

Can I get a character certificate online?

There is no government portal that issues a school, college or employer character certificate. Some institutions accept the request by email. The police character certificate is the one you can apply for online, through the Punjab Police portal or a Khidmat Markaz.