The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio 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 Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's portfolio turnover rate was 5% of the average value of its investment portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

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5.00%

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

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The Class R25 shares are a new class of shares of the Portfolio, so the "Other Expenses" shown for the class are based on anticipated fees and expenses for the current fiscal year

Expense Example [Heading]

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Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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This Example is meant to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio's operating expenses remain the same. The costs for the Portfolio reflect the net expenses that result from the contractual expense waiver and assumption in the first year only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (the "Advisor") believes that equity investing should involve a long-term view and a systematic focus on sources of expected returns, not on stock picking or market timing. In constructing an investment portfolio, the Advisor identifies a broadly diversified universe of eligible securities with precisely-defined risk and return characteristics. It then places priority on efficiently managing portfolio turnover and keeping trading costs low. The Advisor does not intend to purchase or sell securities for the investment portfolio based on prospects for the economy, the securities markets or the individual issuers whose shares are eligible for purchase.

The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio purchases a broad and diverse group of common stocks of U.S. companies with a greater emphasis on small capitalization and value companies as compared to their representation in the U.S. Universe. The Advisor generally defines the U.S. Universe as a free float adjusted market capitalization weighted portfolio of U.S. operating companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), NYSE Alternext US LLC or Nasdaq Global Market^® or such other securities exchanges deemed appropriate by the Advisor. The Portfolio's increased exposure to small and value companies may be achieved by decreasing the allocation of the Portfolio's assets to the largest U.S. growth companies relative to their weight in the U.S. Universe, which would result in a greater weight allocation to small capitalization and value companies. An equity issuer is considered a growth company primarily because it has a low, non-negative book value in relation to its market capitalization. An equity issuer is considered a value company primarily because it has a high book value in relation to its market capitalization.

As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of U.S. companies. The percentage allocation of the assets of the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio to securities of the largest U.S. growth companies as defined above will generally be reduced from between 2.5% and 25% of their percentage weight in the U.S. Universe. For example, as of December 31, 2011, securities of the largest U.S. growth companies comprised 32% of the U.S. Universe and the Advisor allocated approximately 20% of the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio to securities of the largest U.S. growth companies. The percentage by which the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's allocation to securities of the largest U.S. growth companies is reduced will fluctuate with market movements. Additionally, the range by which the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's percentage allocation to the securities of the largest U.S. growth companies is reduced as compared to the U.S. Universe will change from time to time.

The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio also may use derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts for U.S. equity securities and indices, to gain market exposure on its uninvested cash pending investment in securities or to maintain liquidity to pay redemptions.

The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities to generate additional income.

Risk [Heading]

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PRINCIPAL RISKS

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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Market Risk: Even a long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. Economic, political, and issuer-specific events will cause the value of securities, and the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio that owns them, to rise or fall. Because the value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, there is the risk that you will lose money.

Small Company Risk: Securities of small companies are often less liquid than those of large companies and this could make it difficult to sell a small company security at a desired time or price. As a result, small company stocks may fluctuate relatively more in price. In general, smaller capitalization companies are also more vulnerable than larger companies to adverse business or economic developments and they may have more limited resources.

Value Investment Risk: Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and following a value-oriented investment strategy may cause the Portfolio to at times underperform equity funds that use other investment strategies.

Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are instruments, such as futures contracts, whose value is derived from that of other assets, rates or indices. The use of derivatives for non-hedging purposes may be considered more speculative than other types of investments. When the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio uses derivatives, the Portfolio will be directly exposed to the risks of that derivative. Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks including liquidity, interest rate, market, credit and management risks, and the risk of improper valuation. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index, and the Portfolio could lose more than the principal amount invested.

Securities Lending Risk: Securities lending involves the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. As a result, the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio could also lose money if it does not recover the securities and/or the value of the collateral falls, including the value of investments made with cash collateral. Securities lending also may have certain adverse tax consequences.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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Because the value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, there is the risk that you will lose money.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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PERFORMANCE

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table immediately following illustrate the variability of the U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's returns and are meant to provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The Class R25 shares of the Portfolio are a new class of shares for which performance information is not available, therefore, the bar chart and table show performance information for the Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio, another class of shares of the Portfolio not offered in this Prospectus. The bar chart shows the changes in performance of the Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio from year to year. The table illustrates how annualized one year, five year and since inception returns of the Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results. Updated performance information for the Portfolio can be obtained by visiting www.dimensional.com.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

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Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

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www.dimensional.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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The U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio's past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future results.

Bar Chart [Heading]

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U.S. Core Equity 1 Portfolio Institutional Class Shares

Total Returns (%)

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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January 2006-December 2011
Highest Quarter		Lowest Quarter
17.92 (4/09-6/09)		-23.48 (10/08-12/08)

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

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The Class R25 shares of the Portfolio are a new class of shares for which performance information is not available, therefore, the bar chart and table show performance information for the Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio, another class of shares of the Portfolio not offered in this Prospectus.

Performance Table Heading

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Periods ending December 31, 2011
Annualized Returns (%)

R10R25 Shares | U.S. CORE EQUITY 1 PORTFOLIO | Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

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One Year

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1.03%

Five Years

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(0.01%)

Since Inception

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2.71%

[1]	The Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar annual returns as the Class R25 shares because the shares are invested in the same portfolio securities. Returns for the Class R25 shares and Institutional Class shares will differ to the extent that the classes will have different expenses, and returns for the Class R25 shares would be expected to be lower than the returns of the Institutional Class shares to the extent that the Class R25 shares have higher expenses than the Institutional Class shares.
[2]	The Institutional Class shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar annual returns as the Class R25 shares because the shares are invested in the same portfolio securities. Returns for the Class R25 shares and Institutional Class shares will differ to the extent that the classes will have different expenses, and returns for the Class R25 shares would be expected to be lower than the returns of the Institutional Class shares to the extent that the Class R25 shares have higher expenses than the Institutional Class shares.
[3]	The Class R25 shares are a new class of shares of the Portfolio, so the "Other Expenses" shown for the class are based on anticipated fees and expenses for the current fiscal year.
[4]	The Advisor has agreed to waive certain fees and in certain instances, assume certain expenses of the Portfolio. The Fee Waiver and Expense Assumption Agreement for the Portfolio will remain in effect through February 28, 2013, and may not be terminated by the Advisor prior to that date. Under certain circumstances, the Advisor retains the right to seek reimbursement for any fees previously waived and/or expenses previously assumed up to thirty-six months after such fee waiver and/or expense assumption.