PORTLAND, Ore., March 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Unigo Group, a portfolio company of Aequitas Capital, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Bankrate.com, the leading online aggregator of financial rate information, to broaden access to private student loans for college with the creation of the first comparison engine with national coverage.

Students and their parents who want to start exploring their college financing options should visit: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/apply-for-student-loans.

Under the partnership, Unigo is using its student loan comparison engine (eStudentLoan.com) to power the student loan section on Bankrate.com to include all student loan products, not just those from select marketing partners, for anyone looking to finance college.

Students can now perform comprehensive comparisons of all their options for private loans, and no longer have to study each option individually through a patchwork of information from banks, Internet searches, and financial aid offices.

"We know that searching and applying for student loan options can exhaust students and their families. Our goal is to simplify a confusing and overwhelming process so students can focus on selecting a school, picking a major, and planning their future," said Brad McMahon, Senior Vice President of Digital Services at Unigo Group. "This system is the only online comparison engine that aggregates all private loan options, and it is part of our mission of maximizing the return on education." 

"The depth and breadth of rate data and financial content is unparalleled at Bankrate. It has become a premier destination for consumers looking for financial services products, and we can now efficiently leverage its capabilities for college students everywhere," he added.

"It's challenging for students to sift through all the information on loans, lenders, and rates, and try to determine which option is best," said Bankrate.com CEO Don Ross. "We were looking for a best-in-class solution for students. They can now use the student loan comparison engine of Unigo through Bankrate.com to review all their options and identify loans for which they meet eligibility requirements. We do the research for them so they can make informed decisions when committing to a loan."

About Unigo Group
To promote, advance and maximize a Return On Education™, Unigo Group (http://www.unigogroup.com/) matches college consumers with universities and the resources needed to attend, to thrive and to graduate. Our tailored SaaS solutions, targeted web properties, and consumer finance programs fuel a network that each year powers tens of millions of unique interactions between the college consumer and our partners in higher education and commerce.

Unigo Group uses its unique insights and proprietary technologies to provide complete and transparent information that helps higher education consumers choose the right school for their needs and future goals. We improve Return on Education™. From picking a school, to funding your education, to maintaining financial discipline while you build your career, Unigo Group is a trusted and reliable partner.

Unigo Group is a portfolio company of Aequitas Capital (http://www.aequitascapital.com/). Founded in 1993, Aequitas Capital is a diversified financial services company that creates alternative investments including private equity, private credit and specialty finance. The firm leverages its robust network of industry experts to invest in under-served sectors that drive the overall economy in the areas of education, healthcare and financial services. Aequitas helps its portfolio companies and strategic partners reach their goals by providing management expertise, technology infrastructure and a network of support services.

Please follow @Unigo for more information.

About Bankrate, Inc.

Bankrate is a leading publisher, aggregator, and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. Bankrate provides consumers with proprietary, fully researched, comprehensive, independent and objective personal finance editorial content across multiple vertical categories including mortgages, deposits, insurance, credit cards, and other categories, such as retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. The Bankrate network includes Bankrate.com, CreditCards.com, InsuranceQuotes.com and Caring.com, our flagship websites, and other owned and operated personal finance websites, including Interest.com, Bankaholic.com, Mortgage-calc.com, CreditCardGuide.com, CarInsuranceQuotes.com, Insweb.com, CreditCards.ca, and NetQuote.com. Bankrate aggregates rate information from over 4,800 institutions on more than 300 financial products. With coverage of over 600 local markets, Bankrate generates rate tables in all 50 U.S. states. Bankrate develops and provides web services to over 100 co-branded websites with online partners, including some of the most trusted and frequently visited personal finance sites on the Internet such as Yahoo!, AOL, CNBC, and Bloomberg. In addition, Bankrate licenses editorial content to over 500 newspapers on a daily basis including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.

CONTACT: Dana Taormina
JCPR
(973) 850-7305  
dtaormina@jcprinc.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141212/164172LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-partnership-simplifies-student-loan-process-with-one-stop-shopping-300052934.html

SOURCE Unigo Group