FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Lakeside is about 4.2 miles from Mississippi State University, roughly a 14-minute drive or a 31-minute bike ride. Times may vary depending on where on campus you’re headed.

Yes! Lakeside provides a free private shuttle to Mississippi State University, so you can get to campus without worrying about parking or traffic.

Residents can ride S.M.A.R.T. (Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit), a free public transit network run as a partnership between the City of Starkville and MSU.

You’ve got plenty of options nearby:

• Sonic (0.8 mile)
• Waffle House, Subway, and Panda Express (0.9 mile each)
• Pizza Hut, OEC Japanese Express, and Mi Hacienda Mexican Restaurant (all about a mile away)

Walmart is just 0.9 miles away (about a 5-minute drive), and Kroger is 1.5 miles away (about a 7-minute drive).

Definitely! Lakeside is built around community. Regular resident events and parties, plus shared spaces like the clubroom, pool, disc golf course, and sand volleyball court, make it easy to meet people right where you live.

Lakeside offers studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 4-bedroom apartments. All are fully furnished, and every resident gets a private bedroom and private bathroom, even in the shared floor plans. See every layout on our floor plans page.

Rent depends on the floor plan you choose. Shared 4-bedroom units are the most affordable option, and private studios and 1-bedrooms cost more. Check our floor plans page for current rates and our special offers page for any available deals.

Pricing is per person. Lakeside offers individual leases, so you’re only responsible for your own bedroom and rent, not the whole apartment.

Yes! Every floor plan at Lakeside, including the shared 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom units, comes with a private, locking bedroom and a private bathroom for each resident.

Yes. Lakeside offers individual leases per person rather than one lease for the whole apartment.

Lakeside offers 12-month, 10-month, and 6-month leases:

• 12-month lease: the standard option.
• 10-month lease: spreads the total lease cost over 10 months instead of 12.
• 6-month lease: a short-term option, available while it lasts, with an additional $200 per month.

Wi-Fi, water, sewer, trash, and preventive pest control are all included in your rent. Electricity is set up and managed by Lakeside, and each resident receives a $25 monthly electricity allowance. If your usage goes over $25, you’ll be billed for the overage plus a $6 monthly utility administration fee.

Yes! High-speed internet is included in your rent, with no separate bill to worry about.

Rent is due on the 1st of each month, with a grace period through the 5th. Payments made on the 6th or later are late and carry a $50 late fee, plus $10 per day until paid. Returned payments carry a $35 fee. You can pay rent through the resident portal. Financial aid can also be applied to your Lakeside charges once your university charges are paid.

Move-in costs include:

• a $40 application fee per applicant
• a $150 administrative fee
• a $25 security deposit
• a one-time $10 utility setup fee

You’ll also pay your first month’s rent.

Yes, renters’ insurance is required. Lakeside offers a property coverage option for $12 per month or a personal property option for $7 per month.

Lakeside features:

• a fitness center and a pool
• an 18-hole disc golf course and a sand volleyball court
• a clubroom with billiards, ping-pong, foosball, gaming systems, and a tanning bed
• picnic grilling areas
• a computer lab and a dedicated study lounge
• 24-hour emergency maintenance

Explore everything on our amenities page.

Laundry is in-unit! Every apartment includes its own washer and dryer.

Yes! Parking is available and free for residents.

Yes! You can store your bike under the stairwells in each building.

Yes! Lakeside has a dedicated study lounge, the Brainiac Lounge, plus a computer lab for focused work and assignments.

Yes! Lakeside hosts resident events and parties throughout the year. Contact the leasing office to see what’s coming up.

Lakeside isn’t a gated community, but several community amenities have controlled access. Residents use their Lakeside key fob to enter spaces like the clubhouse and pool, which keeps them reserved for residents and their guests.

Ready to see it in person? Just fill out a quick form or reach out to the leasing office directly to set up a time. Not ready to visit yet? Take a virtual tour online whenever it’s convenient for you.

Leasing for the upcoming school year begins in October. Rooms fill quickly, so we encourage you to apply as early as possible for the best chance at your preferred room.

You’ll need a valid government-issued ID and recent proof of income, such as a pay stub, two bank statements, or the first page of your most recent tax return.

Yes, the application fee is $40 per applicant.

The online application takes about 5 minutes to complete. Approval can happen very quickly, sometimes within 24 hours! The biggest factor is how quickly you complete your application and provide all required documentation. The sooner everything is submitted, the sooner we can approve you.

Yes. All applicants go through credit and background screenings. To qualify, you’ll need a credit score of 550 or higher and a gross income of at least three times the monthly rent. Credit screenings are run through Experian and involve a hard credit inquiry.

No! Lakeside doesn’t automatically require a guarantor or co-signer for students without credit history. We offer several ways to qualify:

• Self-approval (income and credit): if you meet Lakeside’s income and credit requirements, you can qualify on your own with recent proof of income, such as a pay stub, two bank statements, or the first page of your most recent tax return.
• Self-approval (savings verification): you can qualify by showing a savings account balance equal to at least six months of rent.
• Financial aid approval: if you’re using financial aid, you can qualify by paying rent in two six-month installments with a current-semester account detail or billing statement.
• Guarantor/co-signer: you can use a guarantor or co-signer who meets Lakeside’s income and credit requirements and provides recent proof of income.
• Homebody Guaranty Program: you can choose the Homebody option during leasing, which has a one-time enrollment fee plus a monthly premium for the lease term.

Our team is happy to help you find the option that fits your situation best. If you’d like to build credit while you live here, optional credit reporting is available for $9.99 per month.

Yes! International students are welcome to apply and lease at Lakeside. We lease to all applicants who meet our qualification requirements, regardless of residency status. You’ll need valid identification, which can include:

• a government-issued ID
• a driver’s license
• a passport
• a Tax Identification Number (TIN)
• a Social Security Number (SSN)

Additional documentation may be requested to verify eligibility and complete your application.

Standard move-in dates are typically in mid-August for fall and early January for spring. If summer leasing is available, move-in dates are offered case by case depending on unit availability.

You have two options:

• Pay the remaining lease balance in full within 30 days.
• Find a qualified replacement resident to take over your lease. They must meet all of Lakeside’s application and qualification requirements before the transfer can be approved, and a $500 lease transfer fee applies.

Yes! Every apartment is fully furnished. Each bedroom comes with a bed, dresser, and desk, and the living room includes a couch and TV, plus barstool seating at the kitchen counter.

Since Lakeside apartments are furnished, the big essentials are already taken care of. Plan to bring personal items like bedding, bathroom supplies, shower curtains, trash cans, kitchenware, and anything else that makes your space feel like home. If you’ll have roommates, connect with them before move-in to coordinate shared items for common areas. That way you won’t end up with four air fryers in the same apartment! Roommate contact information is typically shared before move-in, so you’ll have time to plan together.

Yes! If you don’t have a roommate selected, our team uses the information in your application to match you with compatible roommates. If you already have someone in mind, just list their name in the roommate request section of your application. We’ll make every effort to place you together, as long as all requested roommates complete the application process and meet leasing requirements. If you’re using roommate matching, you’ll typically receive your roommates’ contact information up to two months before move-in.

Packages that fit in your mailbox are delivered there, and larger packages are typically delivered to the leasing office for pickup. Delivery practices vary by carrier, and Amazon packages are often left at your door or elsewhere in the community. Track your package through the carrier’s notifications, and check both your mailbox and front door when it’s marked delivered.

Log in to your resident portal to submit a maintenance request. Lakeside also offers 24-hour emergency maintenance for urgent issues.

You’re welcome to decorate inside your apartment! Just keep any door or patio/balcony holiday decorations seasonally appropriate, and take them down by January 1. Small nail holes for hanging decorations or mounting a TV are fine as long as they aren’t excessive, but painting and wallpaper aren’t permitted. Any damage is assessed and charged after move-out.

Lakeside is a pet-friendly community! We welcome cats and dogs, with a few rules in place to protect our residents. There’s a limit of 2 pets per apartment, and fees are charged per pet.

All animals must be at least 6 months old, and dogs must weigh 75 lbs or less.

The following breeds aren’t allowed, whether full-bred or mixed:

• Pit Bull, including Pit Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, and any crossbreeds or mixes with American Pit Bull Terriers
• Bulldog
• Rottweiler
• Akita, including Japanese Akita and Akita Inu
• Bernese, including Bernese Mountain Dog, Berner Sennenhund, and Bernese Cattle Dog
• Canary Dogs, including Perro de Presa Canario
• Chow
• Doberman
• German Shepherd
• Dalmatian
• Husky
• Wolf breeds
• Rhodesian Ridgeback

How to register your pet:

1. Submit an up-to-date vaccine record and a photo of your pet.
2. Once your pet’s records and photo are approved, you’ll receive an animal addendum to add your pet to your lease. All roommates must sign the addendum to confirm they’re okay with having a pet in the apartment.
3. Pay the $350 non-refundable pet fee and your first month of pet rent ($30) before bringing your pet onto the property. After that, pet rent is charged monthly.

A few other things to keep in mind:

• Lakeside doesn’t allow pet sitting.
• If an unauthorized pet is found in your apartment, you’ll be fined $100. If you then choose to register the pet, you’ll be responsible for the fine as well as all regular pet fees.

Guests are always welcome! Overnight stays are limited to 2 consecutive nights per month. You can bring up to 2 guests into community amenity spaces at a time, with the tanning bed as the one exception. Guests can park in any open space in our general parking lot.

Move-out dates depend on your lease term, but residents typically move out on December 31, May 31, or July 31. No matter your date, you’ll need to vacate your unit by 10:00 AM on your scheduled move-out day.

Lease renewals begin each October. If you’d like to stay at Lakeside, renew early, since availability may be limited.