Historical note: this thread is from the SDS (Student Direct Stream) era; SDS was discontinued in November 2024, but the underlying question — what to declare when a credential assessment downgrades your degree — still applies to regular study permit filings.An applicant's MBA was assessed by WES as equivalent to a 4-year bachelor's (a common outcome when the bachelor's was a 2-year degree, giving 16 total years of education). What to write as "highest education" on the study permit application? The thread's guidance:
- An ECA doesn't control a study permit application. A member made the key distinction: WES equivalency matters for PR points (Express Entry), but for a study permit you shouldn't mix the ECA outcome into the form — the study permit asks about your actual education.
- Declare the degree as your documents name it. The most concrete advice: enter the degree name exactly as it appears on your transcripts and degree certificates, with the from/to years. If the certificate says MBA/master's, write that — the years of study make the picture clear to the officer.
- Context on why WES downgrades it: 16 years of education (e.g. 2-year bachelor's + 2-year master's) is treated as equivalent to a Canadian bachelor's in many assessments. That's an equivalency judgment, not a statement that you don't hold a master's.
- If filing through an intermediary or structured stream, ask them — one member suggested confirming with the filing channel, but the default remains: match your documents.