Meaning of the term "studies leading to a degree" I am slightly confused about the meaning of the term "studies leading to a degree" in an application form.

Does it mean only studies that lead to an actual degree, in which case incomplete studies that did not lead to a degree are not covered by this term? 

Or does it denote any studies that were initially started as part of a degree program, irrespective of whether the studies were completed or a degree was awarded or not?
In every case I've seen, this term referred to coursework that was part of a degree curriculum, whether or not that was earned. I suspect this is because organizations can simply specify the degree itself if they need the latter distinction. However, without the actual context it's difficult to be certain.