Bible School – FAQ

General Bible School Questions:

One month prior to start date.

Scholarships may be available in certain semesters. Please contact the registrar if you wish to apply:

registrar@pdf.ro

No, but some colleges and universities will recognize certain programs and topics that we provide teaching on and will give students credits.

Yes, we provide two different certificates: one for those who attend and complete all assignments and one for those who attend but do not complete assignments.

If you are unsure about whether or not you require a visa to be in Romania, please visit the sites listed below to confirm (Note – Romania is not a part of the Schengen agreement):

http://evisa.mae.ro/

http://romaniatourism.com/entry-requirements.html

The main language of our program is English. However, we do provide Romanian translation if two or more students should require this. Students requiring translation will need to make this known at the time of their application.

Past Romanian students who have had trouble with English find that after week 3 or 4, their English has improved enough that they no longer need translation.

Each week can vary depending on what events are planned, but a normal lecture week has lectures between breakfast and lunch, with activities, outreach or free time between lunch and dinner, and some evenings will either have lectures, a group activity, or they will be free. Weekends are generally free unless students are on a challenge week.

The minimum required age is 18.

We have students from 18 to 40 attending PdF with the average age of our students around 19 – 20.

For SMBS/ Fall Bible School:

  • English Bible
    • Paraphrase Bibles not recommended
    • Romanian Bible optional
    • Please avoid Bible apps if possible
  • Clothing
    • The following outdoor clothing will be required for the outdoor team challenge:
      • Hiking boots (above ankles)
      • Moisture control socks
      • Warm sweater
      • Breathable long sleeve shirt
      • Hiking pants
      • Sunglasses
      • Warm hat
      • Running shoes
      • Slippers (house shoes)
      • Rain jacket
      • Gloves (in case of snow)
      • Underwear
      • Long underwear
      • Socks
      • Swimsuit
      • T-shirts
      • Long-sleeved shirts
      • Shorts
      • Towels
    • Clothing for various activities (outreaches, church services, grad ceremony, sports activities, etc)
  • Gear
    • small backpack 25 – 30 litres (optional)
    • flashlight
    • pocketknife
    • notebook and writing materials
    • band-aids and moleskin
    • water bottle
    • any required personal medication
    • camera (note that phones or media devices will not be allowed on tour)
  • Personal toiletries
  • Optional
    • Personal climbing equipment
    • Portable instruments

PdF Can Provide the Following if Required:

  • Hiking backpack 50-80 liters
  • Towels
  • Sleeping bag
  • Outdoor sleeping mattress
  • Cup and bowl

ASCENT – Equipment list

Equipment for outdoor activities:

  • large backpack (approx. 60 liters) (can be rented at PDF)
  • daypack (approx. 20 liters)
  • sleeping bag (comfort zone 0°C and less) (can be rented at PDF)
  • sleeping mat (light weight) (can be rented at PDF)
  • headlamp
  • pocketknife (small)
  • cup and bowl (plastic or aluminum), spoon
  • water bottle or CamelBak (min. 1l, max. 2l)
  • sunglasses (100% UV rating recommended) and sunscreen
  • Band-Aids, moleskin or second skin
  • light microfiber towel
  • cycling shorts
  • cycling jersey
  • bike gloves
  • running shoes
  • mountaineering boots (your boots must have strong ankle support, a ¾ shank, and VibramTM or equivalent soles, Goretex is recommended)

Optional (for those traveling by car):

  • 2 heavy-duty garbage bags, 1/2 dozen large Zip Loc™ freezer bags – excellent for watertight packing
  • rainproof cover for backpack
  • personal climbing equipment (harness, helmet, climbing shoes, via ferrata set) (PdF can provide these)
  • hiking poles (telescope)
  • mountain bike (can be rented at PdF)
  • bike helmet (can be rented at PdF)
  • bike repair kit, spare tube

Clothing for outdoor activities:

  • waterproof rainwear (jacket, pants) breathable fabric is preferable, Gore-Tex is the best, 2 or 3 layers.
  • light clothing (shorts, T- shirts)
  • warm clothing,
  • softshell jacket (preferably fleece)
  • underwear
  • long underwear
  • swimwear
  • sport clothing
  • hiking pants (not jeans)
  • cap (for sun protection) warm hat (wool or fleece)
  • Hiking socks

Equipment/Clothing for school:

  • any required personal medication
  • personal toiletries
  • house shoes
  • English bible (small, translation – not paraphrase), small notebook, writing materials
  • clothing for lectures, church, celebrations
  • towels

Optional:

  • camera (mobile phones are NOT permitted on some tours and can’t be used as a camera)
  • portable musical instruments

Note:
The electrical voltage in Romania is 220 Volts AC 50Hz, so if you intend to bring any electrical
appliances, you may need to bring a voltage converter as well as an adaptor plug.

It may be possible for you to stay at our center for 60 lei/ night. Please ask ahead to see if it is possible.
There are also several hotels in the nearest town of Râșnov where you can stay. It is 6 kilometers from PdF.
Brașov, the nearest city to PdF, has much more to offer in terms of accommodations. It is approximately 30 kilometers from PdF.
The website below will provide you with some good options:

We are located 6 km from Rasnov, in Brasov county, Romania.

From Bucharest:

It is recommended to take a shuttle bus from the airport to the city of Rasnov; from there one of our staff members can pick you up. Please communicate with the Bible school coordinator regarding your arrival time. Reservations can be made ahead of time through the following sites:

http://www.autogari.ro

https://www.direct-aeroport.ro/en/

Students can travel by train as well from the North Station (Gara de Nord) in Bucharest to Brasov. An additional train can be taken from Brasov to Rasnov. A vehicle pick-up will need to be arranged from there.

Train Timetable: http://www.cfrcalatori.ro/ro/servicii/serviciistatii/98-servicii/servicii-in-statii/140-bucuresti-nord

From Sibiu:

In Sibiu, you can take a taxi from the airport to the train station, then the train to Brașov.

Train timetable: http://www.mersultrenurilor.ro/

From Brașov to Râșnov there is a private train, Regiotrans, which runs about every hour. We can pick you up from Rasnov if necessary.

Train timetable: http://www.regiotrans.ro/mersul–trenurilor–brasov-zarnesti

Here at PdF you will likely be sharing a room with up to 4 or 5 other students of the same gender. Rooms have bunk beds or twin beds. Each student will have their own wardrobe for their clothing; extra clothing or suitcases can be stored in a separate area. A desk will be in each room. Most rooms have an adjoining bathroom.

You are more than welcome to drop off excess luggage here before school begins.
If you would like to drop off luggage early, please contact us beforehand.

Yes!
The costs for one load per week are included in the student fee.

At PdF there is free wireless Internet using our wireless access point.

Yes, in the town of Rasnov, 6 km away from the center, there are three grocery stores. The nearest city of Brasov, 25 km away, has several larger grocery stores as well as large shopping centers (Coresi, Eliana, and AFI).

There are ATMs in the local town where you can withdraw your money. International bank cards are normally compatible with the machines here. Most stores also have chip technology. Visa and Mastercard are also regularly accepted.

You should bring about 150 – 200 EURO for spending money. This would be for restaurant food, sightseeing, gas money for personal outings, and for other personal items that you may need during your time here.

No! The use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco is NOT permitted for the duration of the Bible School.

Yes, medical travel insurance is required prior to traveling to our center.

Because you will have travel insurance, you will be able to use the local hospitals here. There are several good hospitals in Brasov, the nearest city to PdF (Medlife, Regina Maria, and an emergency hospital). Depending on your medical travel insurance you may or may not need to first pay the hospital bill and then be reimbursed afterwards. Hospital fees in Romania are very low and in most cases you won’t need to use your travel insurance.

The catering department will do their best to accommodate those people who require a special diet for a medical reason. If your diet is a lifestyle choice, we may not be able to cater for all your needs and you may need to substitute with your own food.

We have a sound system that will amplify the sounds according to your hearing needs.

Romania’s electrical current is 220 Volts A.C.; 50 cycles and sockets take the standard continental European dual round-pronged plugs. A plug adaptor is required for non-European appliances. Please remember that simple adapters do not convert voltage or frequency.

PdF is located in a fairly remote part of Transylvania on the edge of a forested mountain range (no, there are no vampires or werewolves). Bears have been known to travel through the area but have seldom caused problems with humans. There are dogs that move freely about their owner’s farmland and at times they can confront hikers or bikers. It is best that people do not explore the land alone but instead travel in groups of 2 or 3 minimum.
Herds of sheep and the shepherds are commonly seen near Pdf and make for great pictures. Horses are also on nearby properties and commonly come to our field to eat the grass.

Yes – we have a number of small units we can use for married couple. We generally can only accept 1 or 2 per semester so it is good to apply early.

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Fees and Payments Questions:

One month prior to start date.

Application fee: 30 Euros

  • due at time of application
  • non-refundable
  • is not included in overall tuition amount

Deposit: 400 Euros (250 Euros for Romanian students)

  • due 1 month after receiving acceptance letter via email
  • non-refundable unless sufficient reason given
  • fee is included in overall tuition amount

Remaining Tuition: 

  • varies depending on student nationality, scholarships, etc
  • due 1 month prior to start of program

PAYMENT OPTIONS: (European students)

1.BANK TRANSFER (WIRE)

You can wire the payments from your bank to our Euro Bank account. Note that PdF is not responsible for paying any transfers fee; transfer fees will not be included as part of your tuition payments.
We recommend this for European students, as there is no fee for the transfer within Europe.

Euro Bank Account:

BANCA TRANSILVANIA (BT)
BIC: BTRLRO22
IBAN: RO03BTRLEURCRT0V00031702

2. TRANSFERWISE

International non-European Students

For overseas students, “Transferwise” is the least costly option to transfer money. You also determine the precise amount that we will receive when using this service. You can do your transfer from their website wiring into our Euro Account. You may have to first set up an account with them in order to make the payment transfer.

Euro Bank Account:

Purtatorii de Faclie

BANCA TRANSILVANIA (BT)
BIC: BTRLRO22
IBAN: RO03BTRLEURCRT0V00031702

Canadian Students:

Canadian students can now transfer funds through TransferWise without having to start an account. Electronic transfers (EFT) or Direct Deposits can be used for this. Please avoid wire transfers as they will be automatically rejected along with a $15 fee. Please use the following details for the transfer:

Account holder As. Purtatorii de Faclie

Institution number 621

Account number 200110022861

Transit number 16001

Address TransferWise Canada Inc.

99 Bank Street, Suite 1420

Ottawa ON K1P 1H4

Canada

3. CREDIT / DEBIT CARD:

If you desire to use a debit or credit card, we can send you an email with a link to make your payment. We use EuPlatesc, and the fee is around 1% of the amount transferred. You will have to support that fee.

Please inform us if you want to use this option.

Postal address:
Asociaţia Purtătorii de Făclie
C.P. 20
505400 Râşnov, România
Email: receptie@pdf.ro

All meals, accommodation, books, lectures and use of the washing machines are included in your fees.

You will need extra money for personal travel, meals outside of PdF events, cell phone data. 150-200 euros is suggested for personal pocket money.

Scholarships may be available in certain semesters. Please contact the registrar if you wish to apply:

registrar@pdf.ro

There are ATMs in the local town where you can withdraw your money. International bank cards are normally compatible with the machines here. Most stores also have chip technology. Visa and Mastercard are also regularly accepted.

You should bring about 150 – 200 EURO for spending money. This would be for restaurant food, sightseeing, gas money for personal outings, and for other personal items that you may need during your time here.

Romania’s currency is called Lei (sometimes referred to as RON). The exchange rate is about 1 EURO = 5 Lei.

Travelling Questions:

If you are unsure about wether or not you require a visa to be in Romania, please visit the sites listed below to confirm (Note – Romania is not a part of the Schengen agreement):

http://evisa.mae.ro/

http://romaniatourism.com/entry-requirements.html

Yes! Romania is known for being a passive and non-violent country. Even Bucharest, Romania’s capital city, is known for being one of the least violent cities in Europe. Theft can be a problem if you don’t take care of your items, but if you use common sense you will be fine.

Romanian is most commonly spoken (latin based, similar to French, Italian, Spanish). Most of the younger adults in Romania can speak English. German is also spoken in the Transylvania region that PdF is located in. Magyar (Hungarian) is also spoken by some residents of the area.

  • English Bible
    • Paraphrase Bibles not recommended
    • Romanian Bible optional
    • Please avoid Bible apps if possible
  • Clothing
    • The following outdoor clothing will be required for the outdoor team challenge:
      • Hiking boots (above ankles)
      • Moisture control socks
      • Warm sweater
      • Breathable long sleeve shirt
      • Hiking pants
      • Sunglasses
      • Warm hat
      • Running shoes
      • Slippers (house shoes)
      • Rain jacket
      • Gloves (in case of snow)
      • Underwear
      • Long underwear
      • Socks
      • Swimsuit
      • T-shirts
      • Long-sleeved shirts
      • Shorts
      • Towels
    • Clothing for various activities (outreaches, church services, grad ceremony, sports activities, etc)
  • Gear
    • small backpack 25 – 30 litres (optional)
    • flashlight
    • pocketknife
    • notebook and writing materials
    • band-aids and moleskin
    • Water bottle
    • Walking poles (optional)
    • Any required personal medication
    • Camera (note that phones or media devices will not be allowed on tour)
  • Personal toiletries
  • Optional
    • Personal climbing equipment
    • Portable instruments

PdF Can Provide the Following if Required:

  • Hiking backpack 50-80 liters
  • Towels
  • Sleeping bag
  • Outdoor Sleeping mattress
  • Cup and bowl
  • Spring in our area can be warm during the days (10-20 degrees Celcius) with the evenings being cool (0-10 degrees Celcius)
  • We normally receive a lot of rain during the spring so be sure to bring your rain gear! We also have been known to get snowfall during this season as well.

It may be possible for you to stay at our center for 60 lei/ night. Please ask ahead to see if there is available accomodation.
There are also several hotels in the nearest town of Râșnov where you can stay. Tt is 6 kilometers from PdF.
Brașov, the nearest city to PdF, has much more to offer in terms of accommodations. It is approximately 30 kilometers from PdF.
The website below will provide you with some good options:

We are located 6 km from Rasnov, in Brasov county, Romania.

From Bucharest:

It is recommended to take a shuttle bus from the airport to the city  ofRasnov; from there one of our staff members can pick you up. Please communicate with the Bible school coordinator regarding your arrival time. Reservations can be made ahead of time through the following sites:

http://www.autogari.ro

https://www.direct-aeroport.ro/en/

Students can travel by train as well from the North Station (Gara de Nord) in Bucharest to Brasov. An additional train can be taken from Brasov to Rasnov. A vehicle pick-up will need to be arranged from there.

Train Timetable: http://www.cfrcalatori.ro/ro/servicii/serviciistatii/98-servicii/servicii-in-statii/140-bucuresti-nord

From Sibiu:

In Sibiu, you can take a taxi from the airport to the train station, then the train to Brașov.

Train timetable: http://www.mersultrenurilor.ro/

From Brașov to Râșnov there is a private train, Regiotrans, which runs about every hour. We can pick you up from Rasnov if necessary.

Train timetable: http://www.regiotrans.ro/mersul–trenurilor–brasov-zarnesti

  • Car rentals are available in Brașov (be sure to have an international driver’s license just in case).
  • Many of the major cities are easily reached by train. PdF can drop-off and pick-up students at the train station in Râșnov.

Here at PdF you will likely be sharing a room with up to 4 other students of the same gender. Rooms have bunk beds or twin beds. Each student will have their own wardrobe for their clothing; extra clothing or suitcases can be stored in a separate area. A desk will be in each room. Most rooms have adjoining bathrooms.

You are more than welcome to drop off excess luggage here before school begins.
If you would like to drop off luggage early, please contact us beforehand so that someone is here when you come.

There are bank machines in the local town where you can withdraw your money. International bank cards are normally compatible with the machines here. Most stores also have chip technology. Visa and Mastercard are also regularily accepted.

Romania’s currency is called Lei (sometimes referred to as RON). The exchange is about 1 EURO = 5 Lei.

Yes, medical travel insurance is required prior to traveling to our center.

Application Questions:

One month prior to start date.

Application fee: 30 Euros

  • due at time of application
  • non-refundable
  • is not included in overall tuition amount

Deposit: 400 Euros (250 Euros for Romanian students)

  • due 1 month after receiving acceptance letter via email
  • non-refundable unless sufficient reasoning given
  • fee is included in overall tuition amount

Remaining Tuition: 

  • varies depending on student nationality, scholarships, etc.
  • due 1 month prior to start of program

We currently are not set up for online payments. You can pay through a bank transfer in either RON (romanian currency) or Euros, to the bank accounts below. Funds can also be mailed but this is not recomended for larger sums of money (postal address below):

RON:
BANCA COMERCIALĂ ROMÂNĂ (BCR)
BIC: RNCBROBU
IBAN: RO10RNCB0053148663950001

EURO:
BANCA TRANSILVANIA (BT)
BIC: BTRLRO22
IBAN: RO03BTRLEURCRT0V00031702

Postal address:
Asociaţia Purtătorii de Făclie
C.P. 20
505400 Râşnov, România
Email: receptie@pdf.ro

All meals, accommodation, books, lectures and use of the washing machines are included in your fees.

You will need extra money for personal travel, meals outside of PdF events, cell phone data. 150-200 euros is suggested for personal pocket money.

Scholarships may be available in certain semesters. Please contact the registrar if you wish to apply:

registrar@pdf.ro

No, but some colleges and universities will recognize certain programs and topics that we provide teaching on and will give students credits if the institution should so choose.

Yes, we provide two different certificates: one for those who attend and complete all assignments and one for those who attend but do not complete assignments.

The minimum required age is 18.

We have students from 18 to 40 attending PdF with the average age of our students around 19 – 20.

  Member of Torchbearers International