FAQs

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) states access to a student’s academic and health records is limited solely to a student. Therefore, we encourage parents/families and students to maintain open lines of communication with your student to stay well-informed of your student's progress while living with us on campus. For more detailed information about FERPA, please visit MSU's Publications and Policies.

Students will have interactions with Community Directors (CD), Residence Directors (RDs), Resident Advisers (RAs), and Information Assistants (IAs).

Our Community Directors (CDs) are full-time professional staff who provide leadership, management, supervision, and development for residence hall communities. CDs supervise the RDs and RAs within their community and help facilitate any issues that need additional attention including infrastructure maintenance and safety concerns. The CDs are instrumental in making MSU home for students.

Our Residence Directors (RDs) are full-time graduate students who attend extensive training to prepare for working with students regarding any issue that may arise while living on campus. Each RD manages his or her residence hall’s staff of Resident Advisers (RAs), and Information Assistants (IAs) to create a welcoming and fun community for students.

Resident Advisers (RAs) are full-time undergraduate students that live on the hall with students. We have at least one RA per floor in all of our residence halls. RAs attend a detailed training before students move on campus and are prepared to answer any question students may have. No question is too trivial to handle, we encourage students to develop a solid relationship with his or her RA.

Information Assistants (IAs) are current students selected and trained to provide quality assistance and service to the guests and residents in our residence halls. Their services include package receipt and delivery, guest check-in, equipment/supply check-out, emergency response, as well as general reception and information services about the residence hall, MSU, and/or Starkville.

Students are encouraged to speak with his or her Resident Adviser (RA) about the situation. The RA will work diligently with roommates to solve the problem by helping them draw up a roommate agreement and by assisting them in working through the tough times. If all else fails, student’s Graduate Residence Director (GRD) and RA will help them find the best possible living arrangement.

We encourage any student who is struggling with any issues, including roommate issues to communicate that to their RA, Community Director or Graduate Residence Director.

Please note that the Department of Housing and Residence Life cannot assume liability for the delivery or condition of packages.

Yes, we have computer labs located in Hull, Griffis, and Ruby that any of our on-campus residents may use. Students may also use the computer labs located in Mitchell Memorial Library or the Academic Computer Laboratory.

Yes! There is at least one laundry room in each residence hall. Students can access the laundry rooms at any time. Laundry is $1.50 per cycle and can be paid for with quarters, a debit or credit card, or a bank issued gift card.

First-Time Freshmen are required to live in on-campus residence halls according to the university's Freshman Residency Requirement.

Research shows that students who live on campus their first year are more engaged and do better academically than students who live off campus.

Although first-year students are required to live on campus, Mississippi State University has determined that for most four-year students, living on campus has numerous educational and social benefits. We encourage students to consider living on campus all four years! Your student will be more likely to earn higher grades, graduate on time, and better enjoy his or her overall college experience. We have many great Residence Halls available to choose from each year!

First-time freshmen may apply for on-campus housing after they have been officially admitted to Mississippi State University. Upon admittance to the university, the student may access their MyState account using their MSU NetID and NetPassword. Instructions on how to access their MyState account and how to submit their housing preferences will be provided to the student once they are admitted. A non-refundable $75 housing application fee is required.

A first-time freshman’s housing priority will be considered only if a completed housing application is submitted any time prior to or by April 1st. Priority in housing for freshmen is primarily based on a student’s date of application for admission to MSU but may include a variety of other factors. This includes, but is not limited to, confirmed roommate requests (the roommate with the better priority carries the pair), participation in Living Learning Communities, Disabilities, or other factors.

Assignment notifications will be sent to the students’ MSU NetID email address beginning May.

Yes. Students have the ability to request roommates on the Housing Application. There are several different options for finding / selecting a roommate before it is time to select a room in May. 

Roommate requests should be accepted and mutually confirmed in the Housing Portal no later than April 30, 2021.  Mutually confirmed roommates become ‘Roommate Groups’ and must be established prior to Online Room selection in May in order to assign themselves as a pair.

The MSU housing contract is a legally-binding contract similar to one you would sign for renting an apartment. We will offer student a housing contract after the Housing Priority for the Housing Application is closed in the beginning of April. Please make sure you follow all instructions that accompany the housing assignments process including the housing contract, as failure to do so may result in a cancellation of his or her assignment.

View the contracts here on the Policy and Procedures page.

Yes, housing contracts are valid for one nine-month academic year and may be terminated only for reasons of marriage (a copy of a student’s marriage certificate must be submitted), co-op, school transfer, study abroad, military service (documentation required), or withdrawal from MSU. If a student is enrolled at Mississippi State University and has signed an MSU housing contract, he or she will be responsible for all housing fees for each semester of the contract.

Renewal Selection Verification Process (RSVP) allows current residents to apply for on-campus housing for the next academic year. Specific details regarding the RSVP process for each year will be sent to current residents in October. Below is the general timeline for RSVP.

To reserve a bedspace for the next academic year, students can submit an RSVP online application via my.housing.msstate.edu. Students can sign their housing contract and select their bedspace through RSVP Online Room Selection beginning in November of the year prior. RSVP Online Room Selection will be open through approximately the end of Fall semester. Late RSVP applications will be accepted based on availability.   

Due to the limited availability in bed space for the upcoming year, we encourage all students who are interested in on-campus housing for the upcoming academic year to apply early. Please be aware that RSVP is an application process and your renewal is not a guarantee.

A living-learning community (LLC) is a program available through a academic program, college, or organization that gives students access to educational and service programs exclusive to each LLC. LLCs help students grow personally and academically by providing a unique living arrangement in which their peers desire to learn and serve in the same capacity that your student does.

Students who wish to participate in an LLC, can indicate their interest on the housing application. Then a student's contact information will be sent to the corresponding LLC advisor. Students should also complete an application for each program of his or her interest through the college, academic program or organization. 

For more information about LLC's, make sure to check out the LLC page!

High portal traffic once the Housing application goes live sometimes prevents people from logging in. Don't worry! You have until April 1st to complete your application without affecting your priority.

Just give our main office a call at 662-325-3555. We can fix that with little to no problem!

Online Room Selection is a self-assigning process. Much like choosing an airplane or concert seat, you will be able to select your own bed from a list of available spaces via your online application. 

Online Room Selection will take place the second half of May. Timeslots for Online Room Selection will be sent the beginning of May via email. A timeslot is the date and time students will be able to self-select their room. Students who submit their housing application by the April 1 Housing Priority Deadline may log onto the portal at any time on or after their assigned timeslot to update their selection. Online Room Selection will close the end of May.

No. Only one of you will need to go online to select the room. The student making the room selection will assign themselves and will be required to pull their mutually confirmed roommate into any whole open room. Once this is complete, the roommate pulled into the room will receive an email notifying them of their assignment with instructions on how and when to sign an MSU Housing Contract.

Go ahead and select a bedspace in the best possible room for you. Students will have the opportunity to submit a Housing Room Reassignment Request between June 5-June 30 for the opportunity to change their room or roommate. 

Our office will receive changes and cancellations which will continuously change room availability. See the next section regarding changing your selected bed space.

After OLRS ends, a reassignment request option will be open/available on the housing application beginning June 5. Reassignment requests will be considered according to housing priority and based on availability. An email announcing this will be sent to freshmen.

If you are selected to live in a Living-Learning Community (LLC) you will be assigned to your community. LLC members will receive an email informing them of their acceptance and pending assignment. If you are a part of the Shackouls Honors College, you will be able to select from Griffis Hall or Hurst Hall based on availability.

Yes. If one person is already assigned to a double room, you may view their profile (how they answered the roommate compatibility questionnaire on the housing application) before assigning yourself to the other bed space in that room.

You may select your bed space at any time after your assigned timeslot until 5:00 p.m. on June 2nd. (when we close OLRS).

In most cases, students will have already selected their bed before attending Orientation, but this is not guaranteed.

If you wish to assign yourself to a bed without a specific roommate in mind, you must send us an email requesting to be unconfirmed with your roommate. Once we unconfirm you within our system, you will be able to assign yourself to any available bed space.

If you have a new specific roommate in mind during OLRS, you can each simply select a bed in a whole open room.

After OLRS closes on June 2, you will have the ability to submit a new room or roommate request through the housing portal between June 5 - June 30. When submitting a new room or roommate request, you must agree to forfeit your current assignment and acknowledge if your roommate is more important than your room assignment. Roommate requests after June 5 are based on the availability of a whole open double room. The Housing Office will send reassignment offers from the request list in order of housing priority.

Yes. Honors students will be able to assign themselves and their non-honors roommates to Hurst Hall based on space availability.

You will be considered a late applicant and will be assigned a timeslot in the order of which your completed housing application is received.  Late applicants will be assigned after students who met the April 1st priority deadline. These assignments are projected to be sent in June.

On opening day, for the Fall semester, students may move into the Residence Hall after checking in at their designated check-in location. Make sure to check out the MVNU2MSU page for more details and your student MSU email for updates. 

Students who do not check into their residence hall prior to the first day of class may be subject to cancellation and/or financial penalty.

We do our best to provide the basics (beds, closet spaces, refrigerator, microwave, internet connections); however, we know students will need more to make their room feel more at home. The Department of Housing and Residence Life has prepared a list of suggested items and prohibited items students.

In conjuction with the Freshman Residency Requirement, first-time freshmen are required to have a meal plan. Additional information about dining options and meal plans can be found here: Dining Services

Students have a few different options when it comes to budgeting and planning. One resource Mississippi State provides is MoneyMate.

We realize Financial Aid can be an important and vital component of ensure a student's success at Mississippi State. Our Office of Financial Aid is here to serve and assist your family every step of the way. Additional information can be found here: Financial Aid

The Honor Code is a very important part of a students experience at Mississippi State. We encourage all students to read the Honor Code and become familiar with it.

Yes, but students must buy a parking decal to park in his or her residence hall’s zone. Parking is only permitted in specific areas designated by the parking decal students purchase. Students will be ticketed if they park out of the designated zone, are caught parking within reserved parking and/or handicapped parking, and/or if they are caught blocking handicapped access. We do encourage students to walk, ride a bike, or use the University Transit System. To purchase a parking decal, your student must register your vehicle with Parking Services online at http://www.parkingservices.msstate.edu/decals/.

Students can register for in-room telephone service. In-room telephone service requires a connection fee of approximately $100 and a $20-$22 monthly payment.

Yes, more information about can be found on the Office of Parent Services page.

Cable is no longer available in Residence Halls as of June 30, 2021. 

Students are encouraged to bring smart tvs and other smart devices to stream television, if desired. 

If you choose to bring a smart device or television, please see the instructions for setup on ITS page.

Please the fees for the current academic year: Residence Hall Costs. Costs are updated each summer for the upcoming year. 

For more information about how and when to pay on your student account, please visit the Office of the Controller and Treasurer.

Student’s housing fees will appear on your student account, which is monitored by the Office of the Controller and Treasurer located in Garner Hall.

Depending on space availability, you may stay with us in the Butler Guest House. For more information, please call us at 662-325-4140 or visit Guest & Conference Services.

Also, please visit http://www.parents.msstate.edu/info/accommodations/ to see what accommodations Starkville offers.

If you plan to visit your student's room, you must follow the proper visitation procedures as outlined by the Department of Housing and Residence Life. This includes presenting a valid photo ID and being escorted by your student at all times. Overnight guests are required to be approved at least 48 hours in advance of the overnight stay.

First-Time Freshmen are required to live in on-campus residence halls according to the university's Freshman Residency Requirement.

Research shows that students who live on campus their first year are more engaged and do better academically than students who live off campus.

Although first-year students are required to live on campus, Mississippi State University has determined that for most four-year students, living on campus has numerous educational and social benefits. We encourage students to consider living on campus all four years! Your student will be more likely to earn higher grades, graduate on time, and better enjoy his or her overall college experience. We have many great Residence Halls available to choose from each year!

First-time freshmen may apply for on-campus housing after they have been officially admitted to Mississippi State University. Upon admittance to the university, the student may access their MyState account using their MSU NetID and NetPassword. Instructions on how to access their MyState account and how to submit their housing preferences will be provided to the student once they are admitted. A non-refundable $75 housing application fee is required.

A first-time freshman’s housing priority will be considered only if a completed housing application is submitted any time prior to or by April 1st. Priority in housing for freshmen is primarily based on a student’s date of application for admission to MSU but may include a variety of other factors. This includes, but is not limited to, confirmed roommate requests (the roommate with the better priority carries the pair), participation in Living Learning Communities, Disabilities, or other factors.

Assignment notifications will be sent to the students’ MSU NetID email address beginning May.

Yes. Students have the ability to request roommates on the Housing Application. There are several different options for finding / selecting a roommate before it is time to select a room in May. 

Roommate requests should be accepted and mutually confirmed in the Housing Portal no later than April 30, 2021.  Mutually confirmed roommates become ‘Roommate Groups’ and must be established prior to Online Room selection in May in order to assign themselves as a pair.

The MSU housing contract is a legally-binding contract similar to one you would sign for renting an apartment. We will offer student a housing contract after the Housing Priority for the Housing Application is closed in the beginning of April. Please make sure you follow all instructions that accompany the housing assignments process including the housing contract, as failure to do so may result in a cancellation of his or her assignment.

View the contracts here on the Policy and Procedures page.

Yes, housing contracts are valid for one nine-month academic year and may be terminated only for reasons of marriage (a copy of a student’s marriage certificate must be submitted), co-op, school transfer, study abroad, military service (documentation required), or withdrawal from MSU. If a student is enrolled at Mississippi State University and has signed an MSU housing contract, he or she will be responsible for all housing fees for each semester of the contract.

Renewal Selection Verification Process (RSVP) allows current residents to apply for on-campus housing for the next academic year. Specific details regarding the RSVP process for each year will be sent to current residents in October. Below is the general timeline for RSVP.

To reserve a bedspace for the next academic year, students can submit an RSVP online application via my.housing.msstate.edu. Students can sign their housing contract and select their bedspace through RSVP Online Room Selection beginning in November of the year prior. RSVP Online Room Selection will be open through approximately the end of Fall semester. Late RSVP applications will be accepted based on availability.   

Due to the limited availability in bed space for the upcoming year, we encourage all students who are interested in on-campus housing for the upcoming academic year to apply early. Please be aware that RSVP is an application process and your renewal is not a guarantee.

A living-learning community (LLC) is a program available through a academic program, college, or organization that gives students access to educational and service programs exclusive to each LLC. LLCs help students grow personally and academically by providing a unique living arrangement in which their peers desire to learn and serve in the same capacity that your student does.

Students who wish to participate in an LLC, can indicate their interest on the housing application. Then a student's contact information will be sent to the corresponding LLC advisor. Students should also complete an application for each program of his or her interest through the college, academic program or organization. 

For more information about LLC's, make sure to check out the LLC page!

On opening day, for the Fall semester, students may move into the Residence Hall after checking in at their designated check-in location. Make sure to check out the MVNU2MSU page for more details and your student MSU email for updates. 

Students who do not check into their residence hall prior to the first day of class may be subject to cancellation and/or financial penalty.

We do our best to provide the basics (beds, closet spaces, refrigerator, microwave, internet connections); however, we know students will need more to make their room feel more at home. The Department of Housing and Residence Life has prepared a list of suggested items and prohibited items students.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) states access to a student’s academic and health records is limited solely to a student. Therefore, we encourage parents/families and students to maintain open lines of communication with your student to stay well-informed of your student's progress while living with us on campus. For more detailed information about FERPA, please visit MSU's Publications and Policies.

Students will have interactions with Community Directors (CD), Residence Directors (RDs), Resident Advisers (RAs), and Information Assistants (IAs).

Our Community Directors (CDs) are full-time professional staff who provide leadership, management, supervision, and development for residence hall communities. CDs supervise the RDs and RAs within their community and help facilitate any issues that need additional attention including infrastructure maintenance and safety concerns. The CDs are instrumental in making MSU home for students.

Our Residence Directors (RDs) are full-time graduate students who attend extensive training to prepare for working with students regarding any issue that may arise while living on campus. Each RD manages his or her residence hall’s staff of Resident Advisers (RAs), and Information Assistants (IAs) to create a welcoming and fun community for students.

Resident Advisers (RAs) are full-time undergraduate students that live on the hall with students. We have at least one RA per floor in all of our residence halls. RAs attend a detailed training before students move on campus and are prepared to answer any question students may have. No question is too trivial to handle, we encourage students to develop a solid relationship with his or her RA.

Information Assistants (IAs) are current students selected and trained to provide quality assistance and service to the guests and residents in our residence halls. Their services include package receipt and delivery, guest check-in, equipment/supply check-out, emergency response, as well as general reception and information services about the residence hall, MSU, and/or Starkville.

Students are encouraged to speak with his or her Resident Adviser (RA) about the situation. The RA will work diligently with roommates to solve the problem by helping them draw up a roommate agreement and by assisting them in working through the tough times. If all else fails, student’s Graduate Residence Director (GRD) and RA will help them find the best possible living arrangement.

We encourage any student who is struggling with any issues, including roommate issues to communicate that to their RA, Community Director or Graduate Residence Director.

Please note that the Department of Housing and Residence Life cannot assume liability for the delivery or condition of packages.

Yes, we have computer labs located in Hull, Griffis, and Ruby that any of our on-campus residents may use. Students may also use the computer labs located in Mitchell Memorial Library or the Academic Computer Laboratory.

Please the fees for the current academic year: Residence Hall Costs. Costs are updated each summer for the upcoming year. 

For more information about how and when to pay on your student account, please visit the Office of the Controller and Treasurer.

Student’s housing fees will appear on your student account, which is monitored by the Office of the Controller and Treasurer located in Garner Hall.

Depending on space availability, you may stay with us in the Butler Guest House. Please call us at 662-325-4140 for more information.

Also, please visit http://www.parents.msstate.edu/info/accommodations/ to see what accommodations Starkville offers.

If you plan to visit your student's room, you must follow the proper visitation procedures as outlined by the Department of Housing and Residence Life. This includes presenting a valid photo ID and being escorted by your student at all times. Overnight guests are required to be approved at least 48 hours in advance of the overnight stay.

Students can register for in-room telephone service. In-room telephone service requires a connection fee of approximately $100 and a $20-$22 monthly payment.

Yes, more information about can be found on the Office of Parent Services page.

Cable is no longer available in Residence Halls as of June 30, 2021. 

Students are encouraged to bring smart tvs and other smart devices to stream television, if desired. 

If you choose to bring a smart device or television, please see the instructions for setup on ITS page.

The Office of Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) helps students who are currently, or considering, living off campus. OCSS strives to provide students with the resources necessary to have a positive off-campus experience. Learn more at ocss.msstate.edu.