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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Feb. 28, 2011
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName SCHWAB STRATEGIC TRUST
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0001454889
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jun. 24, 2011
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jun. 28, 2011
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jun. 28, 2011
Schwab U.S. REIT ETF
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Schwab U.S. REIT ETFTM
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The fund’s goal is to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT Index.SM1 [1]
Fund fees and expenses sst1454889_FundFeesAndExpensesAbstract  
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fund fees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. The table does not reflect brokerage commissions you may incur when buying or selling fund shares.
Shareholder fees rr_ShareholderFeesAbstract  
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fee, Other rr_ShareholderFeeOther none
Annual fund operating expenses rr_OperatingExpensesAbstract  
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.13%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets none
Total annual operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.13%
Example rr_ExpenseExampleAbstract  
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those time periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. This example does not reflect any brokerage commissions you may incur when buying or selling fund shares. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption Expenses on a $10,000 investment
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 13
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 42
Portfolio Turnover sst1454889_PortfolioTurnoverAltAbstract  
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 may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. For the period of January 12, 2011 (the date on which the fund commenced operations) to the end of the fund’s most recent fiscal year, the fund did not experience any portfolio turnover.
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its goal, the fund generally invests in securities that are included in the index. The index is a float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index comprised of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). The index generally includes REITs that own and operate income producing commercial and/or residential real estate, derive at least 75% of the REITs total revenue from the ownership and operation of real estate assets, and have a minimum total market capitalization of $200 million at the time of its inclusion. The index excludes mortgage REITs, net-lease REITs, real estate finance companies, mortgage brokers and bankers, commercial and residential real estate brokers and estate agents, home builders, large landowners and subdividers of unimproved land, hybrid REITs, timber REITs, and companies that have more than 25% of their assets in direct mortgage investments. As of May 31, 2011, the index was composed of 81 REITs.

It is the fund’s policy that under normal circumstances it will invest at least 90% of its net assets in securities included in the index. The fund will generally give the same weight to a given security as the index does. However, when the adviser believes it is in the best interest of the fund, such as to avoid purchasing odd-lots (i. e., purchasing less than the usual number of shares traded for a security), for tax considerations, or to address liquidity considerations with respect to a security, the adviser may cause the fund’s weighting of a security to be more or less than the index’s weighting of the security. The fund may sell securities that are represented in the index in anticipation of their removal from the index, or buy securities that are not yet represented in the index in anticipation of their addition to the index.

Under normal circumstances, the fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities not included in its index. The principal types of these investments include those that the adviser believes will help the fund track the index, such as investments in (a) securities that are not represented in the index but the adviser anticipates will be added to the index; (b) investment companies, including money market funds, and (c) derivatives, principally futures contracts. The fund may use futures contracts and other derivatives primarily to seek returns on the fund’s otherwise uninvested cash assets to help it better track the index. The fund may also invest in cash and cash equivalents, enter into repurchase agreements, and may lend its securities to minimize the difference in performance that naturally exists between an index fund and its corresponding index.

Due to the composition of the index, the fund will concentrate its investments (i. e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in real estate companies and companies related to the real estate industry. The fund may also invest in a particular industry, group of industries or sector to approximately the same extent that its index is so concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U. S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities), and repurchase agreements collateralized by U. S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.

The adviser seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the fund’s performance and that of its index, before fees and expenses, of 95% or better. However, there can be no guarantee that the fund will achieve a high degree of correlation with the index. A number of factors may affect the fund’s ability to achieve a high correlation with its index, including the degree to which the fund utilizes a sampling technique. The correlation between the performance of the fund and its index may also diverge due to transaction costs, asset valuations, timing variances, and differences between the fund’s portfolio and the index resulting from legal restrictions (such as diversification requirements) that apply to the fund but not to the index.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money. The fund’s principal risks include:

Market Risk. Stock and bond markets and the values of securities held by the fund rise and fall daily. As with any investment whose performance is tied to these markets, the value of your investment in the fund will fluctuate, which means that you could lose money.

Investment Style Risk. The fund is not actively managed. Therefore, the fund follows the securities included in the index during upturns as well as downturns. Because of its indexing strategy, the fund does not take steps to reduce market exposure or to lessen the effects of a declining market. In addition, because of the fund’s expenses, the fund’s performance is normally below that of the index.

Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

Large-Cap Risk. The fund will invest in large-cap segments of the U. S. stock market. Large-cap stocks tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. During a period when large-cap U. S. stocks fall behind other types of investments — mid- or small-cap stocks, for instance — the fund’s large-cap holdings could reduce performance.

Small- and Mid-Cap Risk. REITs and other real estate companies may be small- to medium-sized companies in relation to the equity markets as a whole. Historically, mid- and small-cap stocks have been riskier than large-cap stocks. Mid and small-cap companies themselves may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. Stock prices of smaller companies may be based in substantial part on future expectations rather than current achievements and may move sharply, especially during market upturns and downturns. During a period when mid- and small cap stocks fall behind other types of investments — bonds or large-cap stocks, for instance — the fund’s small- and mid-cap holdings could reduce performance.

REITs Risk. In addition to the risks associated with investing in securities of real estate companies and real estate related companies, REITs are subject to certain additional risks. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying properties owned by the trusts. Further, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills and may have their investments in relatively few properties, or in a small geographic area or a single property type. Failure of a company to qualify as a REIT under federal tax law may have adverse consequences to the fund. In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and the fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses.

Real Estate Investment Risk. The fund has a policy of concentrating its investments in real estate companies and companies related to the real estate industry. As such, the fund is subject to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate securities and an investment in the fund will be closely linked to the performance of the real estate markets. These risks include, among others, declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds or other limits to accessing the credit or capital markets; defaults by borrowers or tenants, particularly during an economic downturn; and changes in interest rates.

Tracking Error Risk. As an index fund, the fund seeks to track the performance of its benchmark index, although it may not be successful in doing so. The divergence between the performance of the fund and its benchmark index, positive or negative is called "tracking error." Tracking error can be caused by many factors and it may be significant.

Non-Diversification Risk. The fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, a single adverse economic, political or regulatory occurrence may have a more significant effect on the fund’s investments, and the fund may experience increased volatility.

Derivatives Risk. The fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and could cause the fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. In addition, investments in derivatives may involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in derivatives can have a disproportionately larger impact on the fund.

Concentration Risk. To the extent that the fund’s or the index’s portfolio is concentrated in the securities of issuers in a particular market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class (including the real estate industry, as described above), the fund may be adversely affected by the performance of those securities, may be subject to increased price volatility and may be more susceptible to adverse economic, market, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class.

Liquidity Risk. A particular investment may be difficult to purchase or sell. The fund may be unable to sell illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price.

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent.

Market Trading Risk. Although fund shares are listed on national securities exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for fund shares will develop or be maintained. If an active market is not maintained, investors may find it difficult to buy or sell fund shares.

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the fund will approximate the fund’s net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. You may pay more than NAV when you buy shares of the fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market.

Lack of Governmental Insurance or Guarantee. An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.

For more information on the risks of investing in the fund please see the "Fund details" section in the prospectus.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus Non-Diversification Risk. The fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in securities of relatively few issuers. As a result, a single adverse economic, political or regulatory occurrence may have a more significant effect on the fund’s investments, and the fund may experience increased volatility.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
Performance sst1454889_FundPastPerformanceAbstract  
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The fund does not have a full year of performance history. Once the fund has completed a full calendar year of operations a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing the variability of the fund’s returns and comparing the fund’s performance to the index.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess The fund does not have a full year of performance history.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns Once the fund has completed a full calendar year of operations a bar chart and table will be included that will provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing the variability of the fund’s returns and comparing the fund’s performance to the index.
[1] Index ownership - "Dow Jones" and "The Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT IndexSM" are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings, LLC, ("Dow Jones"), have been licensed to CME Group Index Services LLC ("CME"), and sublicensed for use for certain purposes by CSIM, the fund's investment adviser. Fees payable under the license are paid by CSIM. The Schwab U.S. REIT ETF, based on The Dow Jones U.S. Select REIT IndexSM, is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones or CME and neither makes any representation regarding the advisability of trading in such product.