For a study permit application where the applicant isn't showing a sponsor or a GIC/trust arrangement, group members gave guidance on how the bank funds should look.
What group members advised:- Show at least 3 months of bank statements. This gives the visa officer a window to see the funds have been in the account for a reasonable period, not just deposited right before applying.
- Show real transaction activity, not a dormant account. An account that just sits with a lump sum and no other activity looks suspicious to officers — it's better to show some genuine transactions (regular spending, deposits, etc.) around that balance rather than a "dead" account holding only the required amount.
The practical takeaway: don't just park the required amount in an empty account a few weeks before applying — show at least three months of statements with normal, ongoing account activity so the funds look organically accumulated rather than staged.