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Listing your master's (not bachelor's) as "post-secondary education" on the study permit form (IMM1294E)

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • ECA (Educational Credential Assessment)

    Used to confirm equivalency of both bachelor's and master's credentials — helpful context if asked about your academic background later, including at the PR stage.

Step-by-Step

A member with both a bachelor's and a master's degree from India, applying for a new study visa, asked whether it was okay to list their master's degree (rather than bachelor's) as "post-secondary education" on form IMM1294E, and whether their new program made sense relative to their existing qualifications.

What the thread suggested:
  1. Listing your master's degree as post-secondary education on IMM1294E was reported as acceptable — one member said they did exactly this and received their visa with no issue.

  2. The new program should add value relative to your existing education and experience. For example, if you already hold a master's in one field, doing a diploma in the exact same field may raise questions — but a diploma in a related but distinct skill area (e.g. moving from Film Studies to Acting, Direction, or Production) was seen as a reasonable, defensible progression.


The practical takeaway: it's fine to list your highest completed degree (master's) as your post-secondary education on the form. But think carefully about how your new program relates to your prior education — aim for something that clearly builds on or complements it rather than repeating the same specialization, since that's the kind of thing an officer may question.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: It's acceptable to list your master's degree as post-secondary education on IMM1294E, even if you also hold a bachelor's — one member did this without issue.
  • Do: Choose a new program that clearly adds value or a new skill relative to your prior degree, rather than one that essentially repeats the same specialization.

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