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Application Letter / Teacher
Application letter for a teaching job
By Alexander Phillip · Career Coach and Recruitment Expert · Updated October 2026
Quick answer
An application letter for a teaching job names the post and the school, then shows three things: your teaching qualification and registration, the subjects and levels you can teach, and what you did on teaching practice or in past classrooms. Keep it to one page, address it to the head teacher or the board, and attach your CV and certificates.
- Primary and secondary samples
- No-experience version
- How each country recruits teachers
What a school looks for in your letter
- The exact post: the level (primary, secondary, ECDE or nursery) and your teaching subjects, as the advert names them
- Your teaching qualification, the college and the year you finished
- Your registration number with the teachers' body where your country requires one
- Teaching practice or past posts: the classes you taught and one thing you improved
- Something beyond the classroom: a club, a sport, games, a choir, boarding duties
- Your availability to start and to attend an interview
Sample: newly qualified primary teacher
For a private or Board of Management post, where you write to the head teacher directly.
Grace Wanjiru
P.O. Box 4521, Nakuru
+254 712 000 000 · grace.wanjiru@email.com
12 January 2026
The Head Teacher,
Hilltop Academy,
P.O. Box 880, Nakuru.
Dear Sir or Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER
I wish to apply for the post of primary school teacher advertised on your school notice board on 8 January 2026. I hold a Diploma in Primary Teacher Education and I am registered to teach.
During my teaching practice at a public primary school I taught Mathematics and English to Grade 5, prepared weekly lesson plans and ran the reading corner for slow readers. I also helped coach the school's athletics team.
I would bring the same preparation and patience to Hilltop Academy. I have attached my CV, certificates and registration letter. I am available for an interview at any time that suits you.
Yours faithfully,
Grace Wanjiru
Sample: secondary teacher with two subjects
Daniel Okello
P.O. Box 211, Gulu
+256 772 000 000 · daniel.okello@email.com
3 February 2026
The Head Teacher,
St. Mary's Secondary School,
P.O. Box 1450, Lira.
Dear Sir or Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY TEACHER
I am applying for the post of Biology and Chemistry teacher advertised in the New Vision of 30 January 2026. I hold a Bachelor of Science with Education, with Biology and Chemistry as my teaching subjects.
For three years I have taught Biology and Chemistry from Senior One to Senior Four. I set up practical sessions for candidate classes, mark mock examinations and run the school's science club.
I have attached my CV, academic documents and two recommendation letters. Thank you for considering my application. I am ready for an interview at your convenience.
Yours faithfully,
Daniel Okello
How teachers are recruited, country by country
| Country | What to know (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Kenya | Public posts with the Teachers Service Commission are applied for online on the TSC portal with your TSC registration number; manual applications are not accepted. Your own letter matters most for private schools and Board of Management posts. |
| Uganda | Education Service Commission and District Service Commission posts use an application form filled in your own handwriting, in triplicate, quoting the post's title and reference, with certified copies of documents and a detailed CV. |
| Tanzania | Government teaching posts are applied for on the Ajira Portal, where you upload your letter as a PDF. Private schools take a letter and CV directly. |
| Zambia | Teaching Service Commission recruitment is online and asks for your Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) registration number. |
| Malawi | Teaching Service Commission applications go through the Ministry of Education's recruitment portal; write the discipline you are applying for on the letter and the envelope. |
| Rwanda | REB teaching posts are applied for on the MIFOTRA e-recruitment portal, where your education, languages and referees are required profile fields. |
| Zimbabwe | Teacher recruitment has been decentralised to districts, through the Public Service Commission. Check your district's current notice. |
Sources and how to check
Recruitment rules change with each intake, so always follow the current advert. The country notes above come from the Teachers Service Commission of Kenya announcements, Uganda's Education Service Commission adverts and Public Service Commission guidelines, the Teaching Council of Zambia's April 2026 advertisement, Malawi's education recruitment portal, Rwanda's MIFOTRA recruitment portal and Zimbabwe press reports on district recruitment.
For Tanzanian government letters in detail, read our guide to the application letter for a government job in Tanzania, or the Swahili guide to barua ya kuomba kazi.
No teaching experience yet?
Lead with your qualification and your teaching practice: the school, the classes and subjects you taught, and one thing that went well. Add clubs, tutoring or coaching. Do not apologise for being new; show that you are prepared.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a good application letter for a teaching job?
Name the post and the school in the first sentence, then show your qualification, your subjects and levels, and what you did in the classroom. End by asking for an interview. Keep it to one page and attach your CV and certificates.
How do I write an application letter for a primary school teaching job?
Say you are applying for the primary post, name your teacher education qualification, and describe your teaching practice with primary classes: the grades, the subjects and one thing you did well, such as a reading programme.
How do I write an application letter for a teaching job with no experience?
Lead with your qualification and your teaching practice placement. Mention clubs, tutoring or coaching you have done. Show that you are prepared and keen, without apologising for being newly qualified.
Do I need an application letter for a TSC job in Kenya?
TSC public posts are applied for online on the TSC portal, and manual applications are not accepted, so follow the portal's steps. A written application letter is still expected by most private schools and for Board of Management posts.
Should my teaching application letter list my subjects?
Yes. Schools hire for specific subject gaps, so name your teaching subjects and the levels you can teach clearly in the first or second paragraph.
Send your letter with a teacher CV that matches
Show your qualification, subjects and classroom experience in a clean CV. Build it on your phone, free to build and preview.