Proof of funds & visa file
Show the right amount, in the right kind of account, held for long enough — and be able to explain where every taka came from.
Proof of funds is the single most common reason a well-qualified student is refused. Each country sets an amount, and the amount is only half the test: officers also look at how long the money has been there and whether its origin is explained. A balance that appeared last week reads as borrowed, and a borrowed balance is treated as no balance at all.
Season the account. Most embassies want to see the funds held for a period — often three to six months — rather than a snapshot on the day you apply. If you can only assemble the money shortly before applying, be ready to document exactly where it came from: a property sale deed, a business account, a gift with a notarised affidavit. The paper trail is the point, not the balance.
If a sponsor is funding you, their file matters as much as yours. You will usually need their bank statements, their proof of income or business documents, an affidavit of support and evidence of the relationship. A sponsor with an unexplained income is a weaker file than a smaller, fully documented one.
Some countries require a blocked account or a specific deposit rather than a statement — the figures for your destination are shown below. Build the whole file as one set, check every name and date against your passport, and assume that anything you cannot explain in one sentence will be asked about.
Pick a country to see this stage's country-specific detail — costs, IELTS, documents and the funds you must show.