A member had savings of about 15 lakh in one bank account (SBI) held for 2 years, but paid the GIC from a different account (ICICI) for a better exchange rate, and wasn't sure whether both account statements needed to be shown, or whether funds needed to be consolidated into one account.
What the thread clarified:- The SDS (Student Direct Stream) doesn't require bank statements — but this only applies if you're actually applying under SDS. Members flagged this distinction clearly, since the original poster was applying non-SDS, where the rules are different.
- For non-SDS applications, the GIC alone typically only covers first-year fees — you still need to separately demonstrate funds for second-year tuition and living expenses, which is where your bank statement history (in whichever account holds those funds) becomes relevant.
- You can show statements from multiple accounts rather than needing to consolidate everything into one — the key is that, together, they credibly demonstrate the funds required beyond what the GIC already covers.
The practical takeaway: know which stream you're applying under first (SDS vs non-SDS), since that determines whether bank statements are required at all — and if you're non-SDS, be ready to show funds for year-two fees and living expenses on top of your GIC, using whichever accounts actually hold that money.