497

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The XBRL interactive data file included as an exhibit to this filing relates to the Prospectuses dated December 13, 2017 and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 20, 2017 under Rule 497(e) (SEC Accession No. (0001104659-17-074307)) for The Asia Ex Japan Fund, The EAFE Fund, The EAFE Choice Fund, The EAFE Pure Fund, The Emerging Markets Fund, The Global Alpha Equity Fund, The Global Select Equity Fund, The International Concentrated Growth Fund, The International Equity Fund, The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund, The Positive Change Equity Fund and The U.S. Equity Growth Fund.

XML

Document and Entity Information	Total
Prospectus:
Document Type	497
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2016
Registrant Name	BAILLIE GIFFORD FUNDS
Central Index Key	0001120543
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Dec. 14, 2017
Document Effective Date	Dec. 14, 2017
Prospectus Date	Dec. 13, 2017
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BSASX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BASKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGESX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGCSX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BKGCX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BSGPX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGPKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEGX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGKEX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGAKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGASX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGSSX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGSKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BTLSX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BTLKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BINSX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGIKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BSGLX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGLKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BPESX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BPEKX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund | Institutional Class
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGGSX
Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund | Class K
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGGKX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGETX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEUX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEFX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEVX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGCWX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGCJX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGCLX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGCVX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGPTX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGPFX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGPWX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGPVX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEDX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEHX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGELX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGEPX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGAEX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGATX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGALX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGAVX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGITX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGIFX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGIUX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGIVX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGLTX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 3
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGLOX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 4
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGLFX
Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 5
Prospectus:
Trading Symbol	BGADX

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund

Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund

Investment Objective

The Asia Ex Japan Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.72%	0.72%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.58%	0.73%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.30%	1.45%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	(0.43%)	(0.43%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.87%	1.02%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 89	$ 104
3 Years	$ 370	$ 416

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 89	$ 104
3 Years	$ 370	$ 416

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund will seek to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in Asia (excluding Japan) and including the Indian subcontinent.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan Index. The MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan Index includes large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap issuers from a variety of countries including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The economies of many of these countries are considered emerging market economies, and some may be considered frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Asia Risk – Many of the economies of countries in Asia are considered emerging market economies. Countries in Asia can be reliant on only a few industries or commodities. Many Asian economies are characterized by high inflation, undeveloped financial service sectors, frequent currency fluctuations, devaluations, or restrictions, political and social instability, and less efficient markets. The economies of many Asian countries are heavily dependent on international trade and can be adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls and other measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade.

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Asia Ex Japan Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.87% for Class K shares and 1.02% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Asia Ex Japan Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2018

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund will seek to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in Asia (excluding Japan) and including the Indian subcontinent.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan Index. The MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan Index includes large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap issuers from a variety of countries including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The economies of many of these countries are considered emerging market economies, and some may be considered frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI All Country Asia Ex Japan benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Asia Risk – Many of the economies of countries in Asia are considered emerging market economies. Countries in Asia can be reliant on only a few industries or commodities. Many Asian economies are characterized by high inflation, undeveloped financial service sectors, frequent currency fluctuations, devaluations, or restrictions, political and social instability, and less efficient markets. The economies of many Asian countries are heavily dependent on international trade and can be adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls and other measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade.

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.72%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.58%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.30%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.43%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 89

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

370

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

89

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

370

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Asia Ex Japan Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.72%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.73%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.45%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.43%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.02%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 104

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

416

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

104

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 416

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Asia Ex Japan Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.87% for Class K shares and 1.02% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.52%	0.52%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.09%	0.24%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.61%	0.76%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 62	$ 78
3 Years	195	243
5 Years	340	422
10 Years	$ 762	$ 942

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 62	$ 78
3 Years	195	243
5 Years	340	422
10 Years	$ 762	$ 942

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a diversified, international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies that are included in the MSCI EAFE Index or whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may additionally invest in up to 10% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-60 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities denominated in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

 ⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares, and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 27.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -21.66% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	1.34%		6.92%		2.48%		Mar. 06, 2008
Class K	1.34%	[1]	6.92%	[1]	2.48%	[1]	Mar. 06, 2008
Institutional Class	1.19%	[1]	6.76%	[1]	2.33%	[1]	Mar. 06, 2008
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	0.15%		6.06%		1.79%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	1.92%		5.33%		1.77%
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[2]	7.01%	[2]	1.23%	[2]	Mar. 06, 2008

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"). Management Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year.

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these share classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

18.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these share classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]

rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent

Management Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a diversified, international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies that are included in the MSCI EAFE Index or whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may additionally invest in up to 10% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-60 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities denominated in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

 ⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares, and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 27.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -21.66% (Q3, 2011)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectus

Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

27.36%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(21.66%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.23%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.61%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 62

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

195

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

340

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

762

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

62

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

195

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

340

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 762

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.34%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.92%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.48%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.24%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.76%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 78

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

243

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

422

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

942

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

78

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

243

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

422

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 942

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.19%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.76%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.33%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

45.75%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

16.60%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(11.70%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

18.78%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

28.69%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(6.94%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(3.07%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

1.34%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.34%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.92%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.48%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.15%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.06%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.79%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.92%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.33%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.77%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"). Management Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year.

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these share classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Choice Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.52%	0.52%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.13%	0.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.65%	0.80%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	208	255
5 Years	362	444
10 Years	$ 810	$ 990

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	208	255
5 Years	362	444
10 Years	$ 810	$ 990

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 85% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares, and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 17.74% (Q3, 2010)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -18.23% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	0.59%		7.74%		6.09%		Dec. 17, 2009
Class K	0.59%	[1]	7.74%	[1]	6.09%	[1]	Dec. 17, 2009
Institutional Class	0.45%	[1]	7.58%	[1]	5.93%	[1]	Dec. 17, 2009
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	0.44%		7.04%		5.33%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	0.73%		5.85%		4.52%
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[2]	7.01%	[2]	4.56%	[2]	Dec. 17, 2009

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Choice Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

23.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 85% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares, and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 17.74% (Q3, 2010)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -18.23% (Q3, 2011)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectus

Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2010

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

17.74%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(18.23%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.56%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

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

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

66

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

208

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

362

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 810

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.59%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.74%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.09%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.28%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 82

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

255

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

444

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

990

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

82

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

255

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

444

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 990

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.45%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.58%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.93%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

12.14%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(12.54%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

21.81%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

21.20%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(4.25%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(2.16%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

0.59%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.59%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.74%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.09%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.44%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.04%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.33%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.73%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.85%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.52%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Pure Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.52%	0.52%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.14%	0.29%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.66%	0.81%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 67	$ 83
3 Years	211	259
5 Years	368	450
10 Years	$ 822	$ 1,002

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 67	$ 83
3 Years	211	259
5 Years	368	450
10 Years	$ 822	$ 1,002

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in developed markets and exclude emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.  

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 7.71% (Q1, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.20% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	(0.20%)		(0.59%)		Apr. 15, 2014
Class K	(0.20%)	[1]	(0.59%)	[1]	Apr. 15, 2014
Institutional Class	(0.34%)	[1]	(0.74%)	[1]	Apr. 15, 2014
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	(0.40%)		(0.85%)
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	0.30%		(0.45%)
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[2]	(0.99%)	[2]	Apr. 15, 2014

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Pure Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

13.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in developed markets and exclude emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.  

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

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⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Highest Quarterly Return: 7.71% (Q1, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.20% (Q3, 2015)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectus

Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Mar. 31, 2015

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

7.71%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(9.20%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

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(reflects no deduction 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 and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

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After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.99%)

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.66%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 67

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

211

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

368

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

822

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

67

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

211

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

368

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 822

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.29%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.81%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 83

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

259

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

450

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,002

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

83

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

259

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

450

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,002

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.34%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.74%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

4.61%

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

(0.20%)

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.40%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.85%)

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.30%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.45%)

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Investment Objective

The Emerging Markets Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.72%	0.72%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.15%	0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.87%	1.02%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 89	$ 104
3 Years	278	325
5 Years	482	563
10 Years	$ 1,073	$ 1,248

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 89	$ 104
3 Years	278	325
5 Years	482	563
10 Years	$ 1,073	$ 1,248

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index include markets that may be less sophisticated than more developed markets in terms of participation by investors, analyst coverage, liquidity and regulation. These countries may include frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 5 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 5 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 5 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 45.28% (Q2 , 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -30.03% (Q4 , 2008)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 5 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund		Average Annual Returns, 1 Year	Average Annual Returns, 5 Years	Average Annual Returns, 10 Years
Class 5		3.24%	2.39%	3.13%
Class K	[1]	3.09%	2.29%	3.04%
Institutional Class	[1]	2.93%	2.13%	2.88%
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 5		3.12%	2.03%	1.02%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 5		2.13%	1.74%	1.77%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index	[2]	11.60%	1.64%	2.17%

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Emerging Markets Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

24.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

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Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index include markets that may be less sophisticated than more developed markets in terms of participation by investors, analyst coverage, liquidity and regulation. These countries may include frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

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Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

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Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

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http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Annual Total Returns – Class 5 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

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⁽¹⁾ Class 5 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 5 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Highest Quarterly Return: 45.28% (Q2 , 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -30.03% (Q4 , 2008)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

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Class 5 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

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Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

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45.28%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

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Dec. 31, 2008

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(30.03%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

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(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

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Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

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After-tax returns are shown for Class 5 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 5 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

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Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | MSCI Emerging Markets Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

11.60%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

1.64%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.17%

^[1]

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

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none

Management Fees

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0.72%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.15%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 89

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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278

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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482

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,073

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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89

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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278

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

482

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 1,073

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.09%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.29%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.04%

^[4]

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.72%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.30%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.02%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 104

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

325

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

563

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,248

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

104

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

325

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

563

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 1,248

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

2.93%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.13%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.88%

^[4]

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2007

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46.59%

Annual Return 2008

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(56.41%)

Annual Return 2009

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98.09%

Annual Return 2010

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19.73%

Annual Return 2011

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(20.20%)

Annual Return 2012

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13.94%

Annual Return 2013

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3.98%

Annual Return 2014

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0.26%

Annual Return 2015

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(8.24%)

Annual Return 2016

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3.24%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.24%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.39%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.13%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.12%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.03%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.02%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

2.13%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

1.74%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.77%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Global Alpha Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.57%	0.57%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.10%	0.25%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.67%	0.82%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 68	$ 84
3 Years	214	262
5 Years	373	455
10 Years	$ 835	$ 1,014

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 68	$ 84
3 Years	214	262
5 Years	373	455
10 Years	$ 835	$ 1,014

Portfolio Turnover

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 lead to higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. The Fund invests in companies whose principal activities are in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East and/or the Far East. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located  in at least three different countries. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-120 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order)  are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 3 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 3 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 3 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 13.30% (Q1, 2012)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.14% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 3	5.02%		11.28%		10.73%		Nov. 15, 2011
Class K	4.95%	[1]	11.20%	[1]	10.65%	[1]	Nov. 15, 2011
Institutional Class	4.79%	[1]	11.04%	[1]	10.48%	[1]	Nov. 15, 2011
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 3	4.84%		10.45%		9.91%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 3	3.11%		8.79%		8.34%
MSCI ACWI Index	8.48%	[2]	9.95%	[2]	9.47%	[2]	Nov. 15, 2011

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Global Alpha Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 lead to higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

20.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. The Fund invests in companies whose principal activities are in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East and/or the Far East. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located  in at least three different countries. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-120 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order)  are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 3 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

⁽¹⁾ Class 3 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 3 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 13.30% (Q1, 2012)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.14% (Q3, 2015)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectus

Class 3 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Mar. 31, 2012

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

13.30%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(9.14%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

8.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

9.95%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

9.47%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.57%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.10%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.67%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 68

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

214

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

373

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

835

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

68

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

214

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

373

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 835

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.95%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

11.20%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

10.65%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.57%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.25%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.82%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 84

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

262

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

455

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,014

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

84

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

262

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

455

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,014

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.79%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

11.04%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

10.48%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

18.69%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

28.71%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

4.48%

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

1.84%

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

5.02%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.02%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

11.28%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

10.73%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.84%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

10.45%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

9.91%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.11%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

8.79%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

8.34%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Global Select Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.50%	0.50%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.56%	0.71%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.06%	1.21%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	0.41%	0.41%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.65%	0.80%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	$ 296	$ 343

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	$ 296	$ 343

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate. 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets.

In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants.

The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion or more.

The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook. In selecting portfolio investments, the portfolio managers take into account corporate governance and stewardship alongside the investment considerations outlined above. 

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

• Socially Responsible Investing Risk – The Fund's incorporation of environmental, social and governance considerations in its investment process may cause it to make different investments than funds that have a similar investment universe and/or investment style but that do not incorporate such considerations in their strategy or investment processes. Under certain economic conditions, this could cause the Fund's investment performance to be worse than similar Funds that do not incorporate such considerations in their investment strategies or processes. See also "Impact Risk."

Performance

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Global Select Equity Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.65% for Class K shares and 0.80% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Global Select Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2019

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate. 

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets.

In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants.

The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion or more.

The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook. In selecting portfolio investments, the portfolio managers take into account corporate governance and stewardship alongside the investment considerations outlined above. 

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

• Socially Responsible Investing Risk – The Fund's incorporation of environmental, social and governance considerations in its investment process may cause it to make different investments than funds that have a similar investment universe and/or investment style but that do not incorporate such considerations in their strategy or investment processes. Under certain economic conditions, this could cause the Fund's investment performance to be worse than similar Funds that do not incorporate such considerations in their investment strategies or processes. See also "Impact Risk."

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.56%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.06%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

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

296

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

66

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

296

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Select Equity Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.71%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 82

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

343

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

82

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 343

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Global Select Equity Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.65% for Class K shares and 0.80% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund

Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund

Investment Objective

The International Concentrated Growth Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.57%	0.57%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.56%	0.71%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.13%	1.28%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	0.41%	0.41%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.72%	0.87%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 74	$ 89
3 Years	$ 318	$ 365

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 74	$ 89
3 Years	$ 318	$ 365

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets.

The Fund may additionally invest up to 20% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a portfolio of between 20-35 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries, or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Because the Fund focuses its investments in a limited number of companies, its investment strategy will result in more risk or greater volatility in returns than if the Fund's investments were less focused. 

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The International Concentrated Growth Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.72% for Class K shares and 0.87% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The International Concentrated Growth Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2019

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets.

The Fund may additionally invest up to 20% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a portfolio of between 20-35 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries, or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Because the Fund focuses its investments in a limited number of companies, its investment strategy will result in more risk or greater volatility in returns than if the Fund's investments were less focused. 

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

1. Non-Diversification Risk – Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.57%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.56%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.13%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.72%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 74

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

318

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

74

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

318

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Concentrated Growth Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.57%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.71%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.28%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 89

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

365

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

89

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 365

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The International Concentrated Growth Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.72% for Class K shares and 0.87% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The International Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.52%	0.52%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.09%	0.24%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.61%	0.76%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 62	$ 78
3 Years	195	243
5 Years	340	422
10 Years	$ 762	$ 942

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 62	$ 78
3 Years	195	243
5 Years	340	422
10 Years	$ 762	$ 942

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index, which includes issuers from a range of developed and emerging market countries. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least three countries outside the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-110 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 26.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -19.39% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	5.24%		7.18%		2.97%		Feb. 07, 2008
Class K	5.24%	[1]	7.18%	[1]	2.97%	[1]	Feb. 07, 2008
Institutional Class	5.08%	[1]	7.02%	[1]	2.81%	[1]	Feb. 07, 2008
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	4.70%		6.46%		2.33%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	3.68%		5.47%		2.11%
MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index	5.01%	[2]	5.48%	[2]	1.30%	[2]	Feb. 07, 2008

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The International Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

12.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index, which includes issuers from a range of developed and emerging market countries. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least three countries outside the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-110 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

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Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

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http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

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⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Highest Quarterly Return: 26.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -19.39% (Q3, 2011)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

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Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

26.36%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(19.39%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

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(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

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Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

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After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

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Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.30%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.61%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 62

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

195

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

340

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

762

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

62

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

195

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

340

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 762

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.24%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.18%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.97%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.52%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.24%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.76%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 78

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

243

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

422

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

942

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

78

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

243

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

422

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 942

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.08%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.02%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.81%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

47.76%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

14.65%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(11.94%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

22.33%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

15.35%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(2.93%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(1.89%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

5.24%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.24%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.18%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.97%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.70%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.46%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.33%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.68%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.47%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.11%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.62%	0.62%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.25%	0.40%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.87%	1.02%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	(0.10%)	(0.10%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.77%	0.92%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 79	$ 94
3 Years	268	315
5 Years	472	554
10 Years	$ 1,063	$ 1,239

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 79	$ 94
3 Years	268	315
5 Years	472	554
10 Years	$ 1,063	$ 1,239

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of global equity securities, which include common stock and other equity securities, without reference to benchmark constraints.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. While the portfolio managers are not constrained by geographic limitations, the Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least six different countries. In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets.

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $2 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select investments without regard to the geographic, industry, sector, or individual company weightings on any index. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The portfolio managers generally select securities of between 30-60 quality growth companies. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Highest Quarterly Return: 14.47% (Q4, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.75% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	(3.80%)		5.42%		Jun. 10, 2014
Class K	(3.80%)	[1]	5.42%	[1]	Jun. 10, 2014
Institutional Class	(3.95%)	[1]	5.26%	[1]	Jun. 10, 2014
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	(3.93%)		5.22%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	(2.04%)		4.14%
MSCI ACWI Index	8.48%	[2]	2.00%	[2]	Jun. 10, 2014

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.77% for Class K shares and 0.92% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

[1] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

[2] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

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Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

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Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2018

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

15.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of global equity securities, which include common stock and other equity securities, without reference to benchmark constraints.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. While the portfolio managers are not constrained by geographic limitations, the Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least six different countries. In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets.

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $2 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select investments without regard to the geographic, industry, sector, or individual company weightings on any index. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The portfolio managers generally select securities of between 30-60 quality growth companies. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

1. Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares(1)

Bar Chart Footnotes [Text Block]

rr_BarChartFootnotesTextBlock

⁽¹⁾ Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors. Class K and Institutional Class shares would have substantially similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses. Class K shares are generally expected to incur expenses equal to or higher than the expenses of Class 2 shares,  and Institutional Class shares are generally expected to incur higher expenses than Class 2 shares.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Highest Quarterly Return: 14.47% (Q4, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.75% (Q3, 2015)

Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]

rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectus

Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Dec. 31, 2015

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

14.47%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(9.75%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

8.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.00%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.62%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.25%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.10%)

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.77%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 79

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

268

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

472

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,063

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

79

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

268

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

472

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,063

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.80%)

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.42%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.62%

^[2]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.40%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.02%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.10%)

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.92%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 94

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

315

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

554

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,239

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

94

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

315

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

554

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,239

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.95%)

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.26%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

13.99%

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

(3.80%)

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.80%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.42%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.93%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.22%

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(2.04%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.14%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[3] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares. Class 2 shares are not offered under this Prospectus and are currently closed to new investors.

[4] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.77% for Class K shares and 0.92% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

[5] Performance figures for Class K and Institutional Class shares, which have been operational for less than a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, are derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares. Performance figures for Institutional Class shares have been adjusted for the higher total annual operating expenses expected to be incurred by Institutional Class shares.

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Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Positive Change Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation with an emphasis on investing in businesses that deliver positive change by contributing towards a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.50%	0.50%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.56%	0.71%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		1.06%	1.21%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	0.41%	0.41%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.65%	0.80%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	$ 296	$ 343

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 66	$ 82
3 Years	$ 296	$ 343

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. 

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a portfolio of between 25-50 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term and which the portfolio managers consider to have core ambitions of delivering a positive change in at least one of the following areas: social inclusion and education, healthcare, the environment, and addressing basic needs and aspirations of the world's poorest populations. In order to assess positive change in these areas, the Manager will use a set of internal matrices and/or milestones for each issuer and, over the long term, judge the social impact against these matrices and/or milestones. With respect to each area, the Manager pursues an active, positive approach; investment decisions are generally not made on the basis of negative "screening" of companies viewed as socially irresponsible.

The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook. 

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• Impact Risk – Under certain circumstances the Fund's positive change objectives set for each company, as determined by the Manager, may not be achieved.  In some circumstances, companies could ultimately have a negative impact. See also "Socially Responsible Investing Risk."

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

• Socially Responsible Investing Risk – The Fund's incorporation of environmental, social and governance considerations in its investment process may cause it to make different investments than funds that have a similar investment universe and/or investment style but that do not incorporate such considerations in their strategy or investment processes. Under certain economic conditions, this could cause the Fund's investment performance to be worse than similar Funds that do not incorporate such considerations in their investment strategies or processes. See also "Impact Risk."

Performance

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Positive Change Equity Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.65% for Class K shares and 0.80% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Positive Change Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation with an emphasis on investing in businesses that deliver positive change by contributing towards a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2019

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the "Example of Expenses" above, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have a portfolio turnover rate.

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. 

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a portfolio of between 25-50 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term and which the portfolio managers consider to have core ambitions of delivering a positive change in at least one of the following areas: social inclusion and education, healthcare, the environment, and addressing basic needs and aspirations of the world's poorest populations. In order to assess positive change in these areas, the Manager will use a set of internal matrices and/or milestones for each issuer and, over the long term, judge the social impact against these matrices and/or milestones. With respect to each area, the Manager pursues an active, positive approach; investment decisions are generally not made on the basis of negative "screening" of companies viewed as socially irresponsible.

The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook. 

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• Impact Risk – Under certain circumstances the Fund's positive change objectives set for each company, as determined by the Manager, may not be achieved.  In some circumstances, companies could ultimately have a negative impact. See also "Socially Responsible Investing Risk."

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

• Socially Responsible Investing Risk – The Fund's incorporation of environmental, social and governance considerations in its investment process may cause it to make different investments than funds that have a similar investment universe and/or investment style but that do not incorporate such considerations in their strategy or investment processes. Under certain economic conditions, this could cause the Fund's investment performance to be worse than similar Funds that do not incorporate such considerations in their investment strategies or processes. See also "Impact Risk."

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Because the Fund may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or small number of issuers, its performance could be closely tied to the value of that one issuer or issuers, and could be more volatile than the performance of diversified funds.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. A description of the Fund's comparative index is provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund had not commenced operations as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, performance data is not included.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.56%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.06%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

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

296

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

66

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

296

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Positive Change Equity Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.71%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

0.41%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 82

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

343

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

82

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 343

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Other expenses for Class K and Institutional Class have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Positive Change Equity Fund through April 30, 2019 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.65% for Class K shares and 0.80% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund

Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund

Investment Objective

The U.S. Equity Growth Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund		Class K	Institutional Class
Management Fees	[1]	0.50%	0.50%
Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees		none	none
Other Expenses	[2]	0.35%	0.50%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.85%	1.00%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	(0.28%)	(0.28%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.57%	0.72%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 58	$ 74
3 Years	$ 243	$ 291

Expense Example No Redemption - Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus - Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund - USD ($)	Class K	Institutional Class
1 Year	$ 58	$ 74
3 Years	$ 243	$ 291

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. The Fund has not yet completed its first full year of operations. During the period from December 5, 2016 to December 31, 2016, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in the U.S.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $1.5 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to a benchmark, generally investing in a portfolio of between 40-60 quality growth companies. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

In response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may deviate from its investment policies by taking temporary defensive positions with some or all of its assets in high quality income securities, cash or cash equivalents. As a result, during such conditions, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The Fund commenced operations on December 5, 2016 and does not have a full calendar year of performance available.  Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The U.S. Equity Growth Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.57% for Class K shares and 0.72% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The U.S. Equity Growth Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2018

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. The Fund has not yet completed its first full year of operations. During the period from December 5, 2016 to December 31, 2016, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 3% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

3.00%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in the U.S.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $1.5 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to a benchmark, generally investing in a portfolio of between 40-60 quality growth companies. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

In response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may deviate from its investment policies by taking temporary defensive positions with some or all of its assets in high quality income securities, cash or cash equivalents. As a result, during such conditions, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in this Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund commenced operations on December 5, 2016 and does not have a full calendar year of performance available.  Accordingly, performance data is not included. When performance data becomes available, it will be posted to the following website: http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance One Year or Less [Text]

rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess

The Fund commenced operations on December 5, 2016 and does not have a full calendar year of performance available. Accordingly, performance data is not included.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund | Class K

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.35%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.85%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.28%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.57%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 58

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

243

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

58

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

243

Class K & Institutional Class Prospectus | Baillie Gifford U.S. Equity Growth Fund | Institutional Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.50%

^[1]

Distribution and/or 12b-1 Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.50%

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.00%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.28%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.72%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 74

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

291

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

74

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 291

[1] The Management Fee consists of an Advisory Fee and an Administration and Supervisory Fee paid by the Fund to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager").

[2] Class K and Institutional Class were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year based on estimated Fund assets of $25 million, the minimum initial investment amount for Class K shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The U.S. Equity Growth Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that such Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.57% for Class K shares and 0.72% for Institutional Class shares. The contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund		Class 2	Class 3	Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees	[1]	0.35%	0.35%	0.35%		0.35%
Service Fees	[2]	0.17%	0.10%	0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.09%	0.09%	0.09%	[3]	0.09%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.61%	0.54%	0.51%		0.46%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 62	$ 55	$ 52	$ 47
3 Years	195	173	164	148
5 Years	340	302	285	258
10 Years	$ 762	$ 677	$ 640	$ 579

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 62	$ 55	$ 52	$ 47
3 Years	195	173	164	148
5 Years	340	302	285	258
10 Years	$ 762	$ 677	$ 640	$ 579

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a diversified, international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies that are included in the MSCI EAFE Index or whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may additionally invest in up to 10% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-60 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities denominated in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 27.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -21.66% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	1.34%		6.92%		2.48%		Mar. 06, 2008
Class 3	1.41%	[1]	6.99%	[1]	2.54%	[1]	Apr. 19, 2010
Class 4	1.36%	[2]	6.92%	[2]	2.48%	[2]	Oct. 10, 2016
Class 5	1.49%	[3]	7.46%	[3]	2.78%	[3]	Jul. 18, 2012
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	0.15%		6.06%		1.79%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	1.92%		5.33%		1.77%
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[4]	7.01%	[4]	1.23%	[4]	Mar. 06, 2008

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Advisory Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year. See "Fund Management-Investment Manager-Investment Services" below for additional detail.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[3] Class 4 had less than 6 months of operating results for the year ended December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for this Class based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (April 19, 2010) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[2] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 10, 2016) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[3] Performance of Class 5 shares prior to their date of inception (July 18, 2012) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

18.00%

Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]

rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent

Advisory Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year.

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a diversified, international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies that are included in the MSCI EAFE Index or whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may additionally invest in up to 10% of its net assets in common stocks and other equities of companies located in North America. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-60 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities denominated in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 27.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -21.66% (Q3, 2011)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

27.36%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(21.66%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.23%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

^[2]

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.61%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 62

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

195

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

340

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

762

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

62

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

195

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

340

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 762

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

45.75%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

16.60%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(11.70%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

18.78%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

28.69%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(6.94%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(3.07%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

1.34%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.34%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.92%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.48%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 06, 2008

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.15%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.06%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.79%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.92%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.33%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.77%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

^[2]

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.54%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 55

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

173

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

302

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

677

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

55

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

173

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

302

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 677

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.41%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.99%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.54%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 19, 2010

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

^[2]

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

^[5]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.51%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class 4 had less than 6 months of operating results for the year ended December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for this Class based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 52

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

164

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

285

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

640

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

52

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

164

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

285

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 640

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.36%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.92%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.48%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Oct. 10, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

^[2]

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.46%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 47

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

148

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

258

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

579

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

47

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

148

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

258

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 579

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.49%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.46%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.78%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jul. 18, 2012

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Advisory Fees have been restated to reflect current fees, including the effects of Advisory Fee breakpoints as applied to the average daily net assets of the Fund over the prior fiscal year. See "Fund Management-Investment Manager-Investment Services" below for additional detail.

[3] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[4] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (April 19, 2010) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[5] Class 4 had less than 6 months of operating results for the year ended December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for this Class based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[6] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 10, 2016) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[7] Performance of Class 5 shares prior to their date of inception (July 18, 2012) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Choice Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund		Class 2	Class 3	Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.35%	0.35%	0.35%		0.35%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%	0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.13%	0.13%	0.13%	[2]	0.13%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.65%	0.58%	0.55%		0.50%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 66	$ 59	$ 56	$ 51
3 Years	208	186	176	160
5 Years	362	324	307	280
10 Years	$ 810	$ 726	$ 689	$ 628

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 66	$ 59	$ 56	$ 51
3 Years	208	186	176	160
5 Years	362	324	307	280
10 Years	$ 810	$ 726	$ 689	$ 628

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 85% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 17.74% (Q3, 2010)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -18.23% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	0.59%		7.74%		6.09%		Dec. 17, 2009
Class 3	0.66%	[1]	7.78%	[1]	6.12%	[1]	Jul. 07, 2014
Class 4	0.59%	[2]	7.74%	[2]	6.09%	[2]	Dec. 17, 2009
Class 5	0.59%	[3]	7.74%	[3]	6.09%	[3]	Dec. 17, 2009
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	0.44%		7.04%		5.33%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	0.73%		5.85%		4.52%
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[4]	7.01%	[4]	4.56%	[4]	Dec. 17, 2009

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[2] Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to the date Class 3 most recently recommenced investment operations (July 7, 2014) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[2] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[3] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Choice Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

23.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 85% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in both developed and emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 17.74% (Q3, 2010)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -18.23% (Q3, 2011)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2010

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

17.74%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(18.23%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.56%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

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

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

66

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

208

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

362

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 810

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

12.14%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(12.54%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

21.81%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

21.20%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(4.25%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(2.16%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

0.59%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.59%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.74%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.09%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.44%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.04%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.33%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.73%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.85%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.52%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.58%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 59

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

186

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

324

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

726

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

59

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

186

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

324

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 726

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.66%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.78%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.12%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jul. 07, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.55%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 56

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

176

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

307

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

689

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

56

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

176

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

307

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 689

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.59%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.74%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.09%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Choice Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.13%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.50%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 51

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

160

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

280

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

628

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

51

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

160

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

280

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 628

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.59%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.74%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

6.09%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 17, 2009

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[3] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to the date Class 3 most recently recommenced investment operations (July 7, 2014) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[5] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[6] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

XML

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Investment Objective

The EAFE Pure Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund		Class 2	Class 3		Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.35%	0.35%		0.35%		0.35%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%		0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.14%	0.14%	[2]	0.14%	[2]	0.14%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.66%	0.59%		0.56%		0.51%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 67	$ 60	$ 57	$ 52
3 Years	211	189	179	164
5 Years	368	329	313	285
10 Years	$ 822	$ 738	$ 701	$ 640

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 67	$ 60	$ 57	$ 52
3 Years	211	189	179	164
5 Years	368	329	313	285
10 Years	$ 822	$ 738	$ 701	$ 640

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in developed markets and exclude emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.  

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 7.71% (Q1, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.20% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	(0.20%)		(0.59%)		Apr. 15, 2014
Class 3	(0.20%)	[1]	(0.59%)	[1]	Apr. 15, 2014
Class 4	(0.20%)	[2]	(0.59%)	[2]	Apr. 15, 2014
Class 5	(0.20%)	[3]	(0.59%)	[3]	Apr. 15, 2014
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	(0.40%)		(0.85%)
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	0.30%		(0.45%)
MSCI EAFE Index	1.51%	[4]	(0.99%)	[4]	Apr. 15, 2014

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[2] Classes 3, 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] Performance for Class 3 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[2] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[3] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The EAFE Pure Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

13.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of developed markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of companies whose principal activities are in Europe, Australasia and/or the Far East. The Fund may hold equities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). In selecting companies for investment, the portfolio managers generally consider issuers in developed markets and exclude emerging markets. 

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI EAFE benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 50-90 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.  

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 7.71% (Q1, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.20% (Q3, 2015)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Mar. 31, 2015

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

7.71%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(9.20%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | MSCI EAFE Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

1.51%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.99%)

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.66%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 67

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

211

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

368

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

822

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

67

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

211

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

368

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 822

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

4.61%

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

(0.20%)

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.40%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.85%)

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

0.30%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.45%)

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.59%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 3, 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 60

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

189

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

329

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

738

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

60

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

189

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

329

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 738

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.56%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 3, 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 57

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

179

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

313

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

701

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

57

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

179

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

313

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 701

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford EAFE Pure Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.51%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 3, 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 52

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

164

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

285

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

640

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

52

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

164

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

285

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 640

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(0.20%)

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

(0.59%)

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 15, 2014

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[3] Classes 3, 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[4] Performance for Class 3 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[5] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[6] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

XML

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Investment Objective

The Emerging Markets Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund		Class 2	Class 3	Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.55%	0.55%	0.55%		0.55%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%	0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.15%	0.15%	0.15%	[2]	0.14%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.87%	0.80%	0.77%		0.71%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 89	$ 82	$ 79	$ 73
3 Years	278	255	246	227
5 Years	482	444	428	395
10 Years	$ 1,073	$ 990	$ 954	$ 883

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 89	$ 82	$ 79	$ 73
3 Years	278	255	246	227
5 Years	482	444	428	395
10 Years	$ 1,073	$ 990	$ 954	$ 883

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index include markets that may be less sophisticated than more developed markets in terms of participation by investors, analyst coverage, liquidity and regulation. These countries may include frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 5 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 45.28% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -30.03% (Q4, 2008)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for only Class 5 shares, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund		Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, 10 Years		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 5		3.24%		2.39%		3.13%
Class 2		3.10%	[1]	2.30%	[1]	3.05%	[1]	Mar. 02, 2015
Class 3		3.12%	[2]	2.35%	[2]	3.11%	[2]	Mar. 31, 2016
Class 4		3.19%	[3]	2.34%	[3]	3.08%	[3]	Oct. 30, 2015
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 5		3.12%		2.03%		1.02%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 5		2.13%		1.74%		1.77%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index	[4]	11.60%		1.64%		2.17%

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[2] Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] Performance for Class 2 shares prior to their date of inception (March 2, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 2 shares.

[2] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (March 31, 2016) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applied to Class 3 shares.

[3] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 30, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares and has been adjusted for the period during which higher shareholder servicing fees applied to Class 4 shares.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

XML

Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Emerging Markets Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

24.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a global portfolio of common stocks and other equity securities of issuers located in countries of emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies located in countries contained in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index include markets that may be less sophisticated than more developed markets in terms of participation by investors, analyst coverage, liquidity and regulation. These countries may include frontier markets. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 60-100 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Frontier Markets Risk – Investments in frontier markets may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in more developed markets or in other emerging market countries. Emerging markets risk may be especially heightened in frontier markets.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 5 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 45.28% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -30.03% (Q4, 2008)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

45.28%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Dec. 31, 2008

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(30.03%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for only Class 5 shares, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for only Class 5 shares, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | MSCI Emerging Markets Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

11.60%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

1.64%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.17%

^[1]

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.55%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 89

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

278

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

482

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,073

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

89

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

278

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

482

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,073

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.10%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.30%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.05%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 02, 2015

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.55%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 82

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

255

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

444

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

990

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

82

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

255

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

444

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 990

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.12%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.35%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.11%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Mar. 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.55%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.15%

^[5]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.77%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 79

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

246

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

428

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

954

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

79

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

246

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

428

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 954

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.19%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.34%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.08%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Oct. 30, 2015

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.55%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.14%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.71%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 73

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

227

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

395

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

883

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

73

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

227

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

395

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 883

Annual Return 2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

46.59%

Annual Return 2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

(56.41%)

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

98.09%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

19.73%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(20.20%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

13.94%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

3.98%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

0.26%

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(8.24%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

3.24%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.24%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.39%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

3.13%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.12%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

2.03%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.02%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Fund | Class 5 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

2.13%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

1.74%

Average Annual Returns, 10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.77%

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[3] Performance for Class 2 shares prior to their date of inception (March 2, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 2 shares.

[4] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (March 31, 2016) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applied to Class 3 shares.

[5] Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[6] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 30, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 5 shares and has been adjusted for the period during which higher shareholder servicing fees applied to Class 4 shares.

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Global Alpha Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund		Class 2	Class 3	Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.40%	0.40%	0.40%		0.40%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%	0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.10%	0.10%	0.10%	[2]	0.10%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.67%	0.60%	0.57%		0.52%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 68	$ 61	$ 58	$ 53
3 Years	214	192	183	167
5 Years	373	335	318	291
10 Years	$ 835	$ 750	$ 714	$ 653

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 68	$ 61	$ 58	$ 53
3 Years	214	192	183	167
5 Years	373	335	318	291
10 Years	$ 835	$ 750	$ 714	$ 653

Portfolio Turnover

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 lead to higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. The Fund invests in companies whose principal activities are in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East and/or the Far East. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located  in at least three different countries. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-120 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order)  are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 3 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 13.30% (Q1, 2012)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.14% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 3	5.02%		11.28%		10.73%		Nov. 15, 2011
Class 2	4.95%	[1]	11.20%	[1]	10.65%	[1]	Jan. 06, 2013
Class 4	5.02%	[2]	11.28%	[2]	10.73%	[2]	Nov. 15, 2011
Class 5	5.02%	[3]	11.28%	[3]	10.73%	[3]	Nov. 15, 2011
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 3	4.84%		10.45%		9.91%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 3	3.11%		8.79%		8.34%
MSCI ACWI Index	8.48%	[4]	9.95%	[4]	9.47%	[4]	Nov. 15, 2011

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[2] Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] Performance for Class 2 shares prior to their date of inception (January 6, 2013) is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 2 shares.

[2] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[3] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

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Risk/Return [Heading]

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Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

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Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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The Global Alpha Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

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Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

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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 lead to higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio. 

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

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20.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

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Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

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Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in a diversified portfolio of securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI Index, cash and cash equivalents. The Fund invests in companies whose principal activities are in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East and/or the Far East. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located  in at least three different countries. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-120 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

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Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order)  are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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You could lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

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The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

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http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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Annual Total Returns – Class 3 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Highest Quarterly Return: 13.30% (Q1, 2012)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.14% (Q3, 2015)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

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Mar. 31, 2012

Highest Quarterly Return

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13.30%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

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Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(9.14%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

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(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

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Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

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After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 3 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

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Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI Index

Risk/Return:

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Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

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8.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

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9.95%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

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9.47%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

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Nov. 15, 2011

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

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none

Advisory Fees

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0.40%

Service Fees

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0.17%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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0.67%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

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$ 68

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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214

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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373

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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835

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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68

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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214

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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373

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 835

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

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4.95%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

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11.20%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

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10.65%

^[3]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

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Jan. 06, 2013

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

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Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

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none

Advisory Fees

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0.40%

Service Fees

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0.10%

^[2]

Other Expenses

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0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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0.60%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

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$ 61

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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192

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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335

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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750

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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61

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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192

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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335

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 750

Annual Return 2012

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18.69%

Annual Return 2013

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28.71%

Annual Return 2014

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4.48%

Annual Return 2015

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1.84%

Annual Return 2016

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5.02%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

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5.02%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

11.28%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

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10.73%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

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Nov. 15, 2011

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

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Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.84%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

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10.45%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

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9.91%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 3 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

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Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.11%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

8.79%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

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8.34%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.40%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.10%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.57%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

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$ 58

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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183

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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318

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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714

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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58

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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183

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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318

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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$ 714

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.02%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

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11.28%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

10.73%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Equity Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.40%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.10%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.52%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

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

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

53

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

167

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

291

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 653

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.02%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

11.28%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

10.73%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Nov. 15, 2011

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[3] Performance for Class 2 shares prior to their date of inception (January 6, 2013) is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares, and has been adjusted for the higher shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 2 shares.

[4] Classes 4 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[5] Performance for Class 4 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[6] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 3 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The International Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund		Class 2	Class 3	Class 4		Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.35%	0.35%	0.35%		0.35%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%	0.07%		0.02%
Other Expenses		0.09%	0.09%	0.09%	[2]	0.09%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.61%	0.54%	0.51%		0.46%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 62	$ 55	$ 52	$ 47
3 Years	195	173	164	148
5 Years	340	302	285	258
10 Years	$ 762	$ 677	$ 640	$ 579

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 62	$ 55	$ 52	$ 47
3 Years	195	173	164	148
5 Years	340	302	285	258
10 Years	$ 762	$ 677	$ 640	$ 579

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index, which includes issuers from a range of developed and emerging market countries. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least three countries outside the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-110 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 26.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -19.39% (Q3, 2011)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, 5 Years		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception	[1]	Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	5.24%		7.18%		2.97%		Feb. 07, 2008
Class 3	5.31%	[2]	7.26%	[2]	3.34%	[2]	Sep. 01, 2010
Class 4	5.24%	[3]	7.18%	[3]	2.97%	[3]	Feb. 07, 2008
Class 5	5.40%	[4]	7.27%	[4]	3.01%	[4]	Apr. 07, 2014
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	4.70%		6.46%		2.33%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	3.68%		5.47%		2.11%
MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index	5.01%	[5]	5.48%	[5]	1.30%	[5]	Feb. 07, 2008

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[2] Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[1] "Since Fund Inception" returns above show the Fund's returns from February 7, 2008, when the Fund most recently recommenced operations. The Fund was active for intervals between November 1, 2000 and November 22, 2005, and was inactive until it most recently recommenced operations on February 7, 2008.

[2] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (September 1, 2010) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[3] Performance for Class 4 shares which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] Performance for Class 5 shares, prior to their date of inception (April 7, 2014) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[5] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Label

Element

Value

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The International Equity Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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)

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 12% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

12.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in an international portfolio of equities, which include common stock and other equity securities, of issuers located in countries of developed and emerging markets. 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities. The Fund invests predominantly in securities issued by companies located in countries contained in the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index, which includes issuers from a range of developed and emerging market countries. The Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least three countries outside the U.S. The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund may invest in issuers of any market capitalization and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").  

The portfolio managers principally select companies without regard to the MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) benchmark. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The intended outcome is a diversified portfolio of between 70-110 quality growth companies with the potential to outperform the benchmark over the long-term. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 3-5 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund (in alphabetical order) are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 26.36% (Q2, 2009)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -19.39% (Q3, 2011)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

26.36%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2011

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(19.39%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI (ex U.S.) Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.01%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

1.30%

^[1],[2]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.61%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 62

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

195

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

340

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

762

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

62

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

195

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

340

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 762

Annual Return 2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

47.76%

Annual Return 2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

14.65%

Annual Return 2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(11.94%)

Annual Return 2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

22.33%

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

15.35%

Annual Return 2014

rr_AnnualReturn2014

(2.93%)

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

(1.89%)

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

5.24%

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.24%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.18%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.97%

^[2]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

4.70%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

6.46%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.33%

^[2]

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

3.68%

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

5.47%

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.11%

^[2]

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.54%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 55

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

173

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

302

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

677

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

55

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

173

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

302

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 677

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.31%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.26%

^[4]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.34%

^[2],[4]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Sep. 01, 2010

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

^[5]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.51%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 52

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

164

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

285

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

640

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

52

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

164

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

285

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 640

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.24%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.18%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.97%

^[2],[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Feb. 07, 2008

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford International Equity Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.35%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[3]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.09%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.46%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 47

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

148

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

258

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

579

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

47

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

148

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

258

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 579

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

5.40%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, 5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

7.27%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

3.01%

^[2],[7]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Apr. 07, 2014

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] "Since Fund Inception" returns above show the Fund's returns from February 7, 2008, when the Fund most recently recommenced operations. The Fund was active for intervals between November 1, 2000 and November 22, 2005, and was inactive until it most recently recommenced operations on February 7, 2008.

[3] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Share Classes-Shareholder Service Fees" below.

[4] Performance for Class 3 shares prior to their date of inception (September 1, 2010) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[5] Class 4 was unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for Class 4 based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[6] Performance for Class 4 shares which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[7] Performance for Class 5 shares, prior to their date of inception (April 7, 2014) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Investment Objective

The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)	none	none	none	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund		Class 2	Class 3		Class 4	Class 5
Advisory Fees		0.45%	0.45%		0.45%	0.45%
Service Fees	[1]	0.17%	0.10%		0.07%	0.02%
Other Expenses		0.25%	0.25%	[2]	0.24%	0.25%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.87%	0.80%		0.76%	0.72%
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement	[3]	(0.10%)	(0.10%)		(0.09%)	(0.10%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement		0.77%	0.70%		0.67%	0.62%

Example of Expenses

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Expense Example - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 79	$ 72	$ 68	$ 63
3 Years	268	245	234	220
5 Years	472	434	414	391
10 Years	$ 1,063	$ 980	$ 934	$ 885

Expense Example No Redemption - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund - USD ($)	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5
1 Year	$ 79	$ 72	$ 68	$ 63
3 Years	268	245	234	220
5 Years	472	434	414	391
10 Years	$ 1,063	$ 980	$ 934	$ 885

Portfolio Turnover

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of global equity securities, which include common stock and other equity securities, without reference to benchmark constraints.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. While the portfolio managers are not constrained by geographic limitations, the Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least six different countries. In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets.

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $2 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select investments without regard to the geographic, industry, sector, or individual company weightings on any index. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The portfolio managers generally select securities of between 30-60 quality growth companies. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Principal Risks

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Highest Quarterly Return: 14.47% (Q4, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.75% (Q3, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Average Annual Returns - Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus - Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund	Average Annual Returns, 1 Year		Average Annual Returns, Since Inception		Average Annual Returns, Inception Date
Class 2	(3.80%)		5.42%		Jun. 10, 2014
Class 3	(3.80%)	[1]	5.42%	[1]	Jun. 10, 2014
Class 4	(3.71%)	[2]	5.47%	[2]	Oct. 06, 2015
Class 5	(3.80%)	[3]	5.42%	[3]	Jun. 10, 2014
After Taxes on Distributions | Class 2	(3.93%)		5.22%
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class 2	(2.04%)		4.14%
MSCI ACWI Index	8.48%	[4]	2.00%	[4]	Jun. 10, 2014

Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

[1] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Fund Management-Investment Manager-Shareholder Services" below.

[2] Classes 3 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that the Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.77% for Class 2 shares, 0.70% for Class 3 shares, 0.67% for Class 4 shares, and 0.62% for Class 5 shares. This contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

[1] Performance for Class 3 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[2] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 6, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher

[3] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[4] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

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Element

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Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The tables below describe 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

Apr. 30, 2018

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 transaction costs, which are not reflected in "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" or in the Example above, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

15.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example of Expenses

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. It also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The example below also applies any contractual expense waivers and/or expense reimbursements to the first year of each period listed in the table.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your expenses would be:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in a portfolio of global equity securities, which include common stock and other equity securities, without reference to benchmark constraints.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. While the portfolio managers are not constrained by geographic limitations, the Fund ordinarily invests in securities of issuers located in at least six different countries. In addition, under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 40% of its total assets in securities of companies located outside the U.S. when market conditions are favorable, but, when market conditions are not favorable, will invest at least 30% of its total assets in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in issuers located in emerging markets.

The Fund may hold equity securities either directly or indirectly, such as through depositary receipts and may hold preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants. The Fund typically invests primarily in issuers with a market capitalization of more than $2 billion and may participate in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The portfolio managers select investments without regard to the geographic, industry, sector, or individual company weightings on any index. The portfolio managers focus on company research and the long term outlook of companies and industries. Ideas can come from a wide variety of sources, including, but not limited to, research trips, company meetings, relationships with industry thought leaders and academics, and wider reading. Stock ideas will be researched to assess a range of factors, including: backdrop, competitive advantage, management, financial strength and valuation. The portfolio managers generally select securities of between 30-60 quality growth companies. The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a small number of issuers, industries or sectors. The Fund tends to hold securities for long periods (typically 5-10 years), which results in relatively low portfolio turnover and is in line with the Fund's long-term investment outlook.

The Fund may invest without limitation in securities quoted or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may hold such currencies. The Fund may engage in currency hedging in an attempt to preserve the Fund's investments in U.S. dollar terms, which may be accomplished using such instruments as currency forwards, currency spot transactions and related options.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund's net asset value and returns will be impacted by the performance of the underlying investments of the Fund. You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

• Currency and Currency Hedging Risk – The Fund could lose value if it invests in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies which decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar, or if it invests in products to reduce this exposure, and those products lose value. A Fund may realize a loss if it has exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency declines in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund may realize a loss if the Fund hedges exposure to a non-U.S. currency, and this non-U.S. currency increases in value, relative to the U.S. dollar. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

• Emerging Markets Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in emerging market securities, the Fund may be exposed to greater market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political, technical and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed markets.

• Equity Securities Risk – Equity securities may react more strongly to changes in an issuer's financial condition or prospects than other securities of the same issuer.

• Focused Investment Risk – Should the Fund focus its investments in related, or a limited number of, countries, regions, sectors, or companies, this would create more risk and greater volatility than if the Fund's investments were less focused.

• Growth Stock Risk – The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth stocks may underperform stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors.

• Information Technology Risk – Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, the securities markets generally, other market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses for the Fund or impairing Fund operations.

• IPO Risk – The Fund may purchase securities in IPOs. These securities are subject to many of the same risks of investing in companies with smaller market capitalizations. Securities issued in IPOs have no trading history, and information about the companies may be available for very limited periods. In addition, the prices of securities sold in IPOs may be highly volatile.

• Large Capitalization Securities Risk – Returns on investments in securities of large companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller and medium-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and medium-sized companies to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to achieve or maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and medium-sized companies.

• Liquidity Risk – The Fund's investments may be subject to low trading volume, lack of a market maker, or regulatory restrictions. As a result, it may not be possible to sell an investment at a particular time or at an acceptable price. The Fund may also hold large positions in securities of particular issues, which may decrease the liquidity of the Fund's investments.

• Long-Term Investment Strategy Risk – The Fund pursues a long-term investment approach, typically seeking returns over a 5-10 year period. This investment style may cause the Fund to lose money or underperform compared to its benchmark index or other mutual funds over the short term, and the Fund may not perform as expected in the long term.  An investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term fluctuations in the value of the Fund's portfolio, including short-term losses.

• Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk – The value of the Fund's investments could be adversely affected by events that disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global markets and by changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions.

• Market Risk – The value of the Fund's investments will be affected by fluctuations in the stock markets in which the Fund is invested, factors affecting a particular industry or industries, real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Declines in securities market prices may reduce the net asset value of the Fund's shares.

• Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

• Non-U.S. Investment Risk – Non-U.S. securities are subject to additional risks, including less liquidity, increased volatility, less transparency, withholding or other taxes, increased vulnerability to adverse changes in local and global economic conditions, less regulation, and possible fluctuation in value due to adverse political conditions. Foreign portfolio transactions generally involve higher commission rates, transfer taxes, and custodial costs than similar transactions in the U.S.

• Service Provider Risk – The Fund will be affected by the Manager's investment techniques, analyses, assessments and employee retention. Similarly, adverse events or performance failures at a service provider, such as human error, inadequate controls or insolvency, have the ability to adversely affect the Fund.

• Settlement Risk – The Fund may experience delays in settlement due to the different clearance and settlement procedures in non-U.S. countries. Such delays may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, or prevent the Fund from selling securities at times and prices it considers desirable.

• Small- and Medium-Capitalization Securities Risk – Securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies can be more volatile due to various factors including more limited product lines, financial and management resources and market distribution channels, as well as shorter operating histories and potentially reduced liquidity, especially during market declines, than the securities of larger, more established companies.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

You may consequently lose money by investing in the Fund.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

1. Non-Diversification Risk – Certain Funds are classified as "non-diversified" funds. A non-diversified Fund may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities, with larger positions in each security it holds, than many other mutual funds. To the extent a Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers. The value of such Fund's shares may be more volatile than the values of shares of more diversified funds. See also "Focused Investment Risk."

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns with those of the Fund's benchmark.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns – Class 2 Shares

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest Quarterly Return: 14.47% (Q4, 2015)

Lowest Quarterly Return: -9.75% (Q3, 2015)

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Highest Quarterly Return

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Dec. 31, 2015

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

14.47%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Lowest Quarterly Return

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2015

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(9.75%)

Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements.

Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]

rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown

After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary.

Performance Table Narrative

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In the table below, after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class 2 shares only, and after-tax returns for other Classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements. A description of the Fund's comparative index and details regarding the calculation of the Fund's class-by-class performance are provided in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Additional Performance Information".

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

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Updated information on the Fund's investment performance can be obtained by visiting http://USmutualfund.bailliegifford.com.

Caption

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2016

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | MSCI ACWI Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

8.48%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

2.00%

^[1]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.45%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.17%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.87%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.10%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.77%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 79

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

268

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

472

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,063

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

79

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

268

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

472

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 1,063

Annual Return 2015

rr_AnnualReturn2015

13.99%

Annual Return 2016

rr_AnnualReturn2016

(3.80%)

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.80%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.42%

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.93%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.22%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 2 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(2.04%)

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

4.14%

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 3

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.45%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.10%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.25%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.80%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.10%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.70%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 3 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 72

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

245

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

434

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

980

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

72

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

245

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

434

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 980

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.80%)

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.42%

^[5]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 4

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.45%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.07%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.24%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.76%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.09%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.67%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 68

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

234

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

414

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

934

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

68

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

234

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

414

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 934

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.71%)

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.47%

^[6]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Oct. 06, 2015

Class 2, 3, 4, & 5 Prospectus | Baillie Gifford The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund | Class 5

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Shareholder Fees (Fees paid directly from your investment)

rr_ShareholderFeeOther

none

Advisory Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.45%

Service Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.02%

^[2]

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.25%

^[4]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.72%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.10%)

^[3]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.62%

Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Classes 3 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

$ 63

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

220

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

391

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

885

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

63

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

220

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

391

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

$ 885

Average Annual Returns, 1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(3.80%)

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

5.42%

^[7]

Average Annual Returns, Inception Date

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Jun. 10, 2014

[1] The source of the index data is MSCI Inc. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indexes or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

[2] Service Fees differ between the Classes of the Fund to reflect varying levels of shareholder servicing fees payable to Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (the "Manager"), as described in detail under "Fund Management-Investment Manager-Shareholder Services" below.

[3] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or bear other expenses of The Long Term Global Growth Equity Fund through April 30, 2018 to the extent that the Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes and extraordinary expenses) exceed 0.77% for Class 2 shares, 0.70% for Class 3 shares, 0.67% for Class 4 shares, and 0.62% for Class 5 shares. This contractual agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.

[4] Classes 3 and 5 were unfunded as of December 31, 2016. Therefore Other Expenses have been estimated for these Classes based on the Other Expenses of Class 2 shares.

[5] Performance for Class 3 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares, and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 3 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

[6] Performance for Class 4 shares prior to their date of inception (October 6, 2015) is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 4 shares; had it, returns would have been higher

[7] Performance for Class 5 shares, which were unfunded as of December 31, 2016, is derived from the historical performance of Class 2 shares and has not been adjusted for the lower shareholder servicing fees applicable to Class 5 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Dec. 13, 2017