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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading TIAA-CREF High-Yield Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund seeks high current income
Objective, Secondary [Text Block] rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock

and, when consistent with its primary objective, capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund:

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
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 2015-07-31
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 69% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 69.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all your 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, before expense reimbursements, remain the same. The example assumes that the Fund’s expense reimbursement agreement will remain in place through July 31, 2015, but that there will be no waiver or expense reimbursement agreement in effect thereafter. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund invests primarily in lower-rated, higher-yielding fixed-income securities, such as domestic and foreign corporate bonds, debentures, loan participations and assignments and notes, as well as convertible securities and preferred stocks. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in debt and other fixed-income securities rated lower than investment-grade (and their unrated equivalents) or other high-yielding debt securities. (These are often called “junk” bonds.) Most of these will be securities rated in the BB or B categories by S&P, or the Ba or B categories by Moody’s. For purposes of the 80% investment policy, the term “assets” means net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.


The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in the following types of instruments: payment-in-kind or deferred-interest obligations, defaulted securities, asset-backed securities, securities rated lower than B- or its equivalent by at least two rating agencies and securities having limited liquidity.


The Fund can make foreign investments, including investments in emerging market countries, but the Fund does not expect them to be over 20% of its assets. The Fund can have up to 15% of its assets in illiquid securities. The Fund can also invest in U.S. Treasury and agency securities or other short-term instruments when other suitable investment opportunities are not available, or when Teachers Advisors, Inc. (“Advisors”) would like to build the Fund’s liquidity.


Over long periods of time, a broadly diversified portfolio of lower-rated, higher-yielding securities is designed to, net of capital losses, provide a higher net return than a similarly diversified portfolio of higher-rated, lower-yielding securities of similar duration. Advisors attempts to minimize the risks of investing in lower-rated securities by:


· Doing its own credit analysis (independent of the rating agencies). The Fund buys securities of issuers with a balance of operational and financial risks that Advisors believes make it likely that such issuers will be able to meet their financial obligations;


· Constructing a portfolio of securities diversified by industry, maturity, duration and credit quality; and


· Buying or selling particular securities to seek to take advantage of anticipated changes and trends in the economy and financial markets.


Advisors’ judgment of the value of any particular security is a function of its experience with lower-rated securities, evaluation of general economic and securities market conditions and the financial condition of the security’s issuer. Under some market conditions, the Fund may sacrifice potential yield in order to adopt a defensive posture designed to preserve capital.


The Fund may purchase and sell futures, options, swaps, forwards and other fixed-income derivative securities and financial instruments to carry out the Fund’s investment strategies.


The benchmark index for the Fund is the BofA Merrill Lynch BB-B U.S. Cash Pay High Yield Constrained Index.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal investment risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

You could lose money over short or long periods by investing in this Fund. An investment in the Fund, due to the nature of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, typically is subject to the following principal investment risks:


· Interest Rate Risk (a type of Market Risk)—The risk that increases in interest rates can cause the prices of fixed-income investments to decline. This risk is heightened to the extent the Fund invests in longer duration fixed-income investments and during periods when prevailing interest rates are low. As of the date of this Prospectus, interest rates in the United States are at or near historic lows, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to risks associated with rising interest rates. Rising interest rates could have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.


· Issuer Risk (often called Financial Risk)—The risk that an issuer’s earnings prospects and overall financial position will deteriorate, causing a decline in the value of the issuer’s financial instruments over short or extended periods of time.


· Call Risk—The risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, an issuer may call (or repay) a fixed-income security prior to maturity, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income.


· Market Volatility, Liquidity and Valuation Risk (types of Market Risk)—The risk that volatile or dramatic reductions in trading activity make it difficult for the Fund to properly value its investments and that the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an investment at an attractive price, if at all.


· Fixed-Income Foreign Investment Risk—Investment in fixed-income securities or financial instruments of foreign issuers involves increased risks due to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, currency, market or economic developments. These developments may impact the ability of a foreign debt issuer to make timely and ultimate payments on its debt obligations to the Fund or impair the Fund’s ability to enforce its rights against the foreign debt issuer. These risks are heightened in emerging or developing markets. Foreign investments may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than investments in U.S. issuers.


· Active Management Risk—The risk that Advisors’ strategy, investment selection or trading execution may cause the Fund to underperform relative to the benchmark index or mutual funds with similar investment objectives.


· Credit Risk (a type of Issuer Risk)—The risk that the issuer of bonds may not be able or willing to meet interest or principal payments when the bonds become due.


· Non-Investment-Grade Securities Risk—Issuers of non-investment-grade securities, which are usually called “high-yield” or “junk bonds,” are typically in weaker financial health and such securities can be harder to value and sell and their prices can be more volatile than more highly rated securities. While these securities generally have higher rates of interest, they also involve greater risk of default than do securities of a higher-quality rating.


· Emerging Markets Risk—The risk of foreign investment often increases in countries with emerging markets. For example, these countries may have more unstable governments than developed countries, and their economies may be based on only a few industries. Because their financial markets may be very small, share prices of financial instruments in emerging markets countries may be volatile and difficult to determine. Financial instruments of issuers in these countries may be less liquid than those of issuers in more developed countries. In addition, foreign investors such as the Fund are subject to a variety of special restrictions in many emerging markets countries.


· Derivatives Risk—The risks associated with investing in derivatives may be different and greater than the risks associated with directly investing in the underlying securities and other instruments. The Fund may use futures, options, single name or index credit default swaps, or forwards, and the Fund may also use more complex derivatives such as swaps that might present liquidity, credit and counterparty risk. When investing in derivatives, the Fund may lose more than the principal amount invested.


Please see the non-summary portion of the Prospectus for more detailed information about the risks described above.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney You could lose money over short or long periods by investing in this Fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Past performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following chart and table help illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year. The bar chart shows the annual total returns of the Institutional Class of the Fund, before taxes, in each full calendar year since inception of the Institutional Class. Because the expenses vary across share classes, the performance of the Institutional Class may vary from the other share classes. Below the bar chart are the best and worst returns of the Institutional Class for a calendar quarter during the period covered by the bar chart. The performance table following the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual total returns for the Institutional Class, Retirement Class, Premier Class and Retail Class over the one-year, five-year, ten-year and since-inception periods (where applicable) ended December 31, 2013, and how those returns compare to those of the Fund’s benchmark index. After-tax performance is shown only for Institutional Class shares, and after-tax returns for the other Classes of shares will vary from the after-tax returns presented for Institutional Class shares.


The returns shown below reflect previous agreements by Advisors to waive or reimburse the Fund for certain fees and expenses. Without these waivers and reimbursements, the returns of the Fund would have been lower. Past performance of the Fund (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The benchmark index listed below is unmanaged, and you cannot invest directly in the benchmark index. The returns for the benchmark index reflect no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes.


For current performance information of each share class, including performance to the most recent month-end, please visit www.tiaa-cref.org.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following chart and table help illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.tiaa-cref.org
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Past performance of the Fund (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL CLASS SHARES (%)†
Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block] rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

† The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on June 30, 2014, was 5.35%.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best quarter: 17.76%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2009. Worst quarter: -12.70%, for the quarter ended December 31, 2008.

Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on June 30, 2014, was
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2014
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 5.35%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 17.76%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (12.70%)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the periods shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(a), 401(k) or 403(b) plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After-tax returns are shown for only one class, and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Current performance of the Fund’s shares may be higher or lower than that shown above.


After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the periods shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(a), 401(k) or 403(b) plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). After-tax returns are shown for only one class, and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.


For the Fund’s most current 30-day yield, please call the Fund at 800 842-2252.

Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS For the Periods Ended December 31, 2013
Thirty Day Yield Phone rr_ThirtyDayYieldPhone 800 842-2252
BofA Merrill Lynch BB-B U.S. Cash Pay High Yield Constrained Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.29%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.45%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.98% [1]
Retail Class
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption or Exchange Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Account Maintenance Fee (annual fee on accounts under $2,000) rr_ShareholderFeeOther $ 15.00
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.34%
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.06%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.65%
Waivers and Expense Reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets    [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.65%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 66
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 208
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 362
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 810
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.86%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.65%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.14%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 31, 2006
Retirement Class
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption or Exchange Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Account Maintenance Fee (annual fee on accounts under $2,000) rr_ShareholderFeeOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.34%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.62%
Waivers and Expense Reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets    [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.62%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 63
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 199
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 346
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 774
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.89%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.63%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.04%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 31, 2006
Premier Class
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption or Exchange Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Account Maintenance Fee (annual fee on accounts under $2,000) rr_ShareholderFeeOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.34%
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.15%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.52%
Waivers and Expense Reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets    [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.52%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 53
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 167
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 291
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 653
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.77% [3]
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.23% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 30, 2009
Institutional Class
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and Other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption or Exchange Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Account Maintenance Fee (annual fee on accounts under $2,000) rr_ShareholderFeeOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.34%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.37%
Waivers and Expense Reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets    [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.37%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 38
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 119
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 208
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 468
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.59%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (19.49%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 41.72%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.61%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 6.14%
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 14.35%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 6.16%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.16%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.92%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.32%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Mar. 31, 2006
Institutional Class | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.91%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 12.81%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.40%
Institutional Class | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.77%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.44%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.28%
[1] Performance is calculated from the inception date of the Institutional Class.
[2] Under the Fund's expense reimbursement arrangements, the Fund's investment adviser, Teachers Advisors, Inc., has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund for any Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions or other transactional expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and extraordinary expenses) that exceed: (i) 0.75% of average daily net assets for Retail Class shares; (ii) 0.65% of average daily net assets for Retirement Class shares; (iii) 0.55% of average daily net assets for Premier Class shares; and (iv) 0.40% of average daily net assets for Institutional Class shares of the Fund. These expense reimbursement arrangements will continue through at least July 31, 2015, unless changed with approval of the Board of Trustees.
[3] The performance shown for the Premier Class that is prior to its inception date is based on performance of the Fund's Institutional Class. The performance for these periods has not been restated to reflect higher expenses of the Premier Class. If those expenses had been reflected, the performance would have been lower.