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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName GOLDMAN SACHS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Apr. 30, 2014
Service | Goldman Sachs Money Market Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Goldman Sachs Money Market Fund—Summary
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Goldman Sachs Money Market Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity by investing exclusively in high quality money market instruments.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Service Shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect the fees and expenses associated with any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy that uses the Fund as an investment option. Had those fees and expenses been included, overall fees and expenses would be higher.
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination April 30, 2015
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Expense Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This Example does not reflect the fees and expenses associated with any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy that uses the Fund as an investment option. Had those fees and expenses been included, the costs shown below would be higher.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Service Shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Service Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the Example incorporates the expense limitation arrangement for only the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Strategy
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing in obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (“U.S. Government Securities”), obligations of banks (which may exceed 25% of its total assets), commercial paper and other short-term obligations of U.S. companies, states, municipalities and other entities and repurchase agreements. The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks, foreign companies and foreign governments. The Fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of any one foreign government.

The Fund’s securities are valued using the amortized cost method as permitted by Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Under Rule 2a-7, the Fund may invest only in U.S. dollar-denominated securities that are determined to present minimal credit risk and meet certain other criteria, including conditions relating to maturity, portfolio diversification, portfolio liquidity and credit quality. The Fund seeks to maintain a stable net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks of the Fund
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any government agency. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Investments in the Fund involve substantial risks which prospective investors should consider carefully before investing.

Banking Industry Risk.  An adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not invested to such a degree in the banking industry. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors such as interest rate changes, adverse developments in the real estate market, fiscal, regulatory and monetary policy and general economic cycles.

Credit/Default Risk.  An issuer or guarantor of a security held by the Fund, or a bank or other financial institution that has entered into a repurchase agreement with the Fund, may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal or default on any other obligation. Additionally, the credit quality of securities may deteriorate rapidly, which may impair the Fund’s liquidity and cause significant NAV deterioration.

Foreign Risk.  Foreign securities may be subject to risk of loss because of more or less foreign government regulation, less public information and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which the Fund invests. Loss may also result from the imposition of confiscations and other government restrictions by the United States or other governments, or from problems in registration, settlement or custody.

Interest Rate Risk.  When interest rates increase, the Fund’s yield will tend to be lower than prevailing market rates, and the market value of its securities or instruments may also be adversely affected. A low interest rate environment poses additional risks to the Fund, because low yields on the Fund’s portfolio holdings may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to provide a positive yield to its shareholders, pay expenses out of Fund assets, or, at times, maintain a stable $1.00 share price.

Liquidity Risk.  The Fund may make investments that are illiquid or that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Illiquid investments may be more difficult to value. The liquidity of portfolio securities can deteriorate rapidly due to credit events affecting issuers or guarantors, such as a credit rating downgrade, or due to general market conditions or a lack of willing buyers. An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions, or selling such positions at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, can adversely affect the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable $1.00 share price. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. Certain shareholders may own or control a significant percentage of the Fund’s shares, and redemptions by these shareholder of their Fund shares may further increase the Fund’s liquidity risk and may adversely impact the Fund’s NAV. Liquidity risk may be the result of, among other things, the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed income securities or the lack of an active market. The potential for liquidity risk may be magnified by a rising interest rate environment or other circumstances where investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal, potentially causing increased supply in the market due to selling activity.

Market Risk.  The market value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

Regulatory Risk.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and other government agencies continue to review the regulation of money market funds, and may take additional regulatory action in the future. These changes may affect the Fund’s ability to implement its investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Stable NAV Risk.  The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable $1.00 share price at all times. If any money market fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), other money market funds, including the Fund, could be subject to increased redemption activity, which could adversely affect the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders of the Fund should not rely on or expect the Investment Adviser or an affiliate to purchase distressed assets from the Fund, make capital infusions into the Fund, enter into capital support agreements with the Fund or take other actions to help the Fund maintain a stable $1.00 share price.

U.S. Government Securities Risk.  The U.S. government may not provide financial support to U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. U.S. Government Securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and Federal Home Loan Banks are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. Government Securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that issuers of U.S. Government Securities will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.
Risk Money Market Fund [Text] rr_RiskMoneyMarketFund Stable NAV Risk.  The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable $1.00 share price at all times. If any money market fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), other money market funds, including the Fund, could be subject to increased redemption activity, which could adversely affect the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders of the Fund should not rely on or expect the Investment Adviser or an affiliate to purchase distressed assets from the Fund, make capital infusions into the Fund, enter into capital support agreements with the Fund or take other actions to help the Fund maintain a stable $1.00 share price.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund’s Service Shares from year to year; and (b) the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Service Shares. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Performance reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods shown. In addition, performance reflects Fund level expenses but does not reflect the fees and expenses associated with any variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy that uses the Fund as an investment option for any contract or policy. Had performance reflected all of those fees and expenses, performance would have been reduced. Updated performance information is available at no cost at www.gsamfunds.com/vit or by calling the phone number on the back cover of this Prospectus.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund’s Service Shares from year to year; and (b) the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Service Shares.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.gsamfunds.com/vit
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading TOTAL RETURN CALENDAR YEAR
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
Best Quarter
Q3 ‘07            +1.25%

Worst Quarter
Q1 ‘12            +0.00%		  
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN

For the period ended December 31, 2013
Service | Goldman Sachs Money Market Fund | Service Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.21%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.09%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.55%
Expense Limitation rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.07%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.48% [2]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 49
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 168
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 298
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 676
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 4.98%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 2.25%
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 0.15%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 0.01%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.01%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 0.01%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 0.01%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2007
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 1.25%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2012
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn 0.00%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.01%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.04%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.48%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 09, 2006
[1] The Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit "Other Expenses" (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, transfer agency fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, shareholder meeting, litigation, indemnification and extraordinary expenses) equal on an annualized basis to 0.004% of the Fund's average daily net assets through at least April 30, 2015, and prior to such date the Investment Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval of the Board of Trustees.
[2] After Expense Limitation