Student Loan Refinance Marketplace — Important Disclosures
Please read these disclosures carefully before using this student loan refinance marketplace. By proceeding, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these disclosures.
1. Who Is Providing This Service — Understanding the Parties Involved
This marketplace is operated by Rate, which connects borrowers to our lender partners (Lendkey, Splash Financial and Earnest). Rate is not a student loan lender and does not make credit decisions. All credit decisions are determined by Rate’s student loan lending partners. Rate will receive compensation for products purchased from these lenders. Compensation will not impact how or where products appear on the platform when requesting prequalified rates and loans. Not all lenders participate in the marketplace.
• Platform Partners (e.g., LendKey, Earnest, Splash Financial) — Independent third-party student loan marketplaces that manage lender relationships and the loan application process.
• Lender Partners — The actual lending institutions that may extend you an offer of credit.
You are not required to use this marketplace. Other student loan refinancing options may be available to you through sources unaffiliated with Rate. Nothing presented through this marketplace constitutes an offer or commitment to lend. All credit decisions are made solely by Lender Partners, in their sole discretion.
2. Soft Credit Pull
Rate's Lender partners will conduct a soft credit pull once you click "check my rate" to provide pre-qualification offers. A hard credit pull may be conducted by Rate's Lender partners once an offer is selected.
3. Rate's Limited Role — Marketing Only
Rate provides branding, design, and marketing services that support the presentation of this marketplace to consumers. Rate:
• Does not make credit decisions or evaluate your creditworthiness;
• Does not operate or control the loan marketplace infrastructure or application process;
• Does not select, endorse, or recommend any Platform Partner or Lender Partner;
• Has no involvement in, or liability for, any aspect of the loan application, approval, or closing process.
4. Prequalification — Not an Offer of Credit
Any prequalified rates or loan options presented through this marketplace are generated by the Platform Partners and their Lender Partners. Please note:
• Prequalified rates are informational only and do not constitute offers of credit.
• A prequalification inquiry is not a formal application for credit.
• The Platform Partners, and their Lender Partners reserve the right to change or withdraw prequalified rates at any time.
• Receiving a prequalified rate does not guarantee that a Lender Partner will extend you a formal offer of credit.
• Not all Platform Partners support prequalification; in some cases, you may be directed to submit a full application directly.
5. APR, Rates, and Discounts
All Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) and loan information displayed through this marketplace are sourced from the Platform Partners and Lender Partners. Please note:
• Lowest advertised rates are available only to the most creditworthy applicants and may require a creditworthy cosigner and/or reflect the highest degree level held by the borrower.
• Autopay Discount: Some Lender Partners offer a rate discount (typically 0.25%) for automatic payment enrollment. Eligibility and application of this discount vary by Lender Partner and are not guaranteed. Monthly payment figures displayed are for illustrative purposes only and reflect the autopay discount as applied to the monthly payment for display consistency. Actual terms will be confirmed by the applicable Lender Partner.
• Rate does not control, verify, or guarantee the accuracy of rates or loan information displayed by the Platform Partners.
6. Why Your Final Rate May Differ from Displayed Rates
The rate you ultimately receive after completing a full application through a Platform Partner may differ from any rate initially displayed. Reasons may include changes in your credit profile, additional information required during the application, changes in market interest rate indices, or, for variable rate loans, fluctuations in the applicable rate index at any time. Platform Partners do not guarantee that displayed rates will remain available through the application process.
7. No Representations or Warranties
Rate makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees regarding your eligibility for credit, the accuracy or completeness of information displayed by Platform Partners or Lender Partners, or the availability of any particular loan product. Neither Rate, nor the respective Platform Partners or Lender Partners assume responsibility for typographical or other errors in information displayed through this marketplace.
8. What Happens After You Are Referred to a Platform Partner
When you select a loan option through this marketplace, you will be connected to the applicable Platform Partner (e.g., LendKey or Earnest or Splash Financial), where you will complete a formal loan application. At that point, you will be subject to the Platform Partner's own terms of use, privacy policy, and disclosures.
Rate has no visibility into or control over your application once you have been referred to a Platform Partner. For questions about your application after your selection, contact the Platform Partner directly.
9. Third-Party Platform Partners and Lender Partners
Platform Partners and Lender Partners are independent third parties not affiliated with Rate. Rate does not endorse any specific Platform Partner or Lender Partner. Rate is not responsible for the actions, decisions, products, rates, or communications of any Platform Partner or Lender Partner, or for any technical issues occurring on a Platform Partner's systems. Each Platform Partner operates under its own regulatory framework — please review their disclosures for licensing and regulatory information applicable to your state.
10. Important Information Regarding Federal Student Loans
Refinancing federal student loans into a private loan is an irreversible decision that results in the permanent loss of federal benefits and protections, including:
• Income-driven repayment plans (e.g., SAVE, PAYE, IBR, ICR)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Teacher Loan Forgiveness and other federal forgiveness programs
• Federal deferment and forbearance options
Some private lenders may offer similar protections, but these are not federally guaranteed and may be changed or discontinued at the lender's discretion. Carefully review all Lender Partner disclosures before refinancing federal loans. For comprehensive federal loan information, visit studentaid.gov.
11. Compensation Disclosure
Rate may receive fees or other compensation from Platform Partners when a borrower completes a loan transaction through this marketplace. These fees do not impact the rate that you receive or the cost of your loan. The loan products presented are examples of this arrangement. Refinancing or consolidating private and federal student loans may not be the right decision for everyone. Before obtaining a private student loan you should review all of your options.
12. Seek Independent Professional Advice
All calculations are based on current market conditions and savings are calculated on an apples-to apples basis. The information in this marketplace is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. You are strongly encouraged to consult a qualified financial advisor or student loan counselor before making any refinancing decision. Your decision to proceed with any Platform Partner, Lender Partner, or loan product is solely your own responsibility.
Products and services presented through this marketplace may not be available in all states.