Study Leave Process

Study Leave Allowance

• • GP Trainees may take a maximum of 30 days of study leave a year; between 15 to 20 of the 30 days are allocated for VTS and residential events, leaving 10-15 days for 'optional' or 'aspirational' training.

  • Leave for the day of sitting the AKT or SCA components of the MRCGP is normally granted in addition to the study leave entitlement.

  • You are allowed an additional 5 days of professional leave per year if you are a trainee representative of a local or national organisational committee (eg. London training committee).

Study Budget

• There is no annual financial allowance allocated per trainee for study leave. If the course will support doctors in training achieving the curriculum, it will be covered by the study budget held centrally by Health Education England (HEE).

• Up to £75 can be claimed for the cost of producing posters for presentations.

• Reimbursement limits:

  • • Public transport – standard class tickets only.

    • Mileage – 28p per mile. Parking charges are NOT covered.

    • Accommodation (UK only) - £120 per night. (International) - £150 per night.

Types of Training (Updated August 2025)

• Essential – Should be provided by workplace and at no cost to registrars or NHSE

• Supporting – should have prospective approval from the educational supervisor based on the educational supervisor review and resulting PDP and includes only those listed as ‘supporting’ on the attached document

• Discretionary – require prospective approval from TPD and Head of School. This includes all other courses not clearly listed in the attached document.

All course funding requires prospective agreement and will not be reimbursed if registrars do not follow the appropriate pathway.

Discretionary courses will be considered on a case by case basis, based on individual need, and incorporating the following principles:

• They should primarily be geared towards meeting the curriculum – either due to an area of the curriculum not being covered by jobs on rotation or because an individual trainee has been identified as being below expectations in a particular area

• Skills based practical courses will only be supported where there is an opportunity to consolidate and maintain skills in practice throughout training

• Special interest courses will only be supported where the registrar is on schedule to meet curricular requirements including passing WPBA and both exams

• Conference attendance will usually only be supported where a GP registrar is presenting relevant research

• All courses should have a PDP entry at the last ESR

All trainees are given access to the hospital LDIT (system for requesting study leave while in hospital) upon joining the trust. If you haven’t received this please contact the postgraduate medical education team.

Reimbursement Process

• Reimbursement is via Royal Free (our lead employer) expenses system www.sel-expenses.com (see below)

• If logging in for the first time, click on ‘forgotten details’ and follow the instructions – you will be sent two emails with your username and password

• Documents required:

  • • Approval letter from PGME

    • Receipts for expenses (course, travel, accommodation)

    • Certificate of attendance

    • Study Leave Reimbursement Form (see below) – with trainee’s signature, clinical supervisor/educational supervisor or PGME Manager

• MUST be completed within 2 months of attending course/conference

• Email rf-tr.expenseclaims@nhs.net if you are having any problems

Please note you will not be able to submit mileage claims if you have not completed the car user registration form and returned it to the email address provided on the form. Please note you are not able to claim for parking or congestion charge.

Step by Step (Reimbursement Process)

Links and Documents

Course Types and Codes - https://gp-training.hee.nhs.uk/guildford/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/2021/07/GP-study-leave-codes.pdf

Aspirational study leave form – https://lasepgmdesupport.hee.nhs.uk/support/tickets/new?form_d33=true

Additional Forms (see below)