Untitled Document

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2013

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Expense [Heading]

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FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

2014-05-01

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 that the Fund pays higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 190% of the average value of its portfolio.

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

rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates

Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem all of your shares at the end of these periods or continue to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual expenses may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption

Held

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities. An instrument will qualify as an emerging market debt security if it is either (i) issued by an emerging market government, quasi-government or corporate entity (regardless of the currency in which it is denominated) or (ii) denominated in the currency of an emerging market country (regardless of the location of the issuer). The Fund may also invest in non-emerging market debt securities. There is no limit on the amount the Fund may invest in one country or in securities denominated in one currency. The Fund may also invest in debt securities rated below investment grade (“junk bonds”). The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” which means that it may invest a larger portion of its assets in a single issuer.

The Fund invests in debt issued in emerging market and developed market currencies by governments and government-owned, controlled, or related entities (and their agencies and subdivisions), and by corporations. The Fund may invest in corporate bonds, debentures, notes, commercial paper, time deposits, and certificates of deposit, as well as debt obligations, which may have a call on a common stock or commodity by means of a conversion privilege or attached warrants.

The Fund may also invest in emerging market or developed market currencies. The Fund may use derivative instruments denominated in any currency to enhance return, hedge (or protect) the value of its assets against adverse movements in commodity prices, currency exchange rates, interest rates and movements in the securities markets, manage certain investment risks and/or as a substitute for the purchase or sale of securities, currencies or commodities. The Fund may also use derivative instruments to implement “cross-hedging” strategies, which involve the use of one currency to hedge against the decline in the value of another currency, or to hedge the value of a currency that is embedded in the value of another currency (for example, the value of the Euro that may be embedded in the Polish Zloty). The Fund expects to use forward currency contracts; futures on securities, indices, currencies, commodities, swaps and other investments; options; and interest rate swaps, cross- currency swaps, total return swaps and credit default swaps. The Fund may also invest in credit-linked notes. The notional value of a cash-settled forward currency contract or other derivative instrument on an emerging market currency (or a currency that is embedded in an emerging market currency) or security will be treated as an emerging market debt security for purposes of complying with the Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in emerging market debt securities.

The Adviser has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. The Adviser selects emerging market countries and currencies that the Fund will invest in based on the Adviser’s evaluation of economic fundamentals, legal structure, political developments and other specific factors the Adviser believes to be relevant. The Fund’s investment strategy normalizes countries’ economic fundamentals and compares them to the valuations of the relevant asset prices, particularly the relevant currency’s valuation, the relevant currency’s interest rate, and the relevant hard-currency security’s credit spread. The Fund may invest in instruments whose return is based on the return of an emerging market security such as a derivative instrument, rather than investing directly in emerging market securities. While the Fund may purchase securities of any maturity or duration, under normal conditions, the Adviser expects the portfolio’s average duration to range between two and ten years.

The Fund’s holdings may include issues denominated in currencies of emerging countries, investment companies (like country funds) that invest in emerging countries, and American Depositary Receipts, and similar types of investments, representing emerging markets securities.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities issued by other investment companies (each an “Underlying Fund”), including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in money market funds, but these investments are not subject to this limitation. The Fund may invest in ETFs to participate in, or gain rapid exposure to, certain market sectors, or when direct investments in certain countries are not permitted.

The Adviser may hire and terminate sub-advisers in accordance with the terms of an exemptive order obtained by the Fund and the Adviser from the SEC under which the Adviser is permitted, subject to supervision and approval of the Board of Trustees, to enter into and materially amend sub-advisory agreements without seeking shareholder approval. The Adviser will furnish shareholders of the Fund with information regarding a new sub-adviser within 90 days of the hiring of the new sub-adviser. Currently, the Adviser has not hired a sub-adviser to assist with the portfolio management of the Fund.

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.

Below Investment Grade Securities. Below investment grade securities (sometimes referred to as “junk bonds”) are more speculative than higher-rated securities. These securities have a much greater risk of default and may be more volatile than higher-rated securities of similar maturity. These securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than higher-rated securities.

Credit. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a debt security or the counterparty to an over-the-counter contract (including many derivatives) will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments or otherwise honor its obligations. The Fund invests in debt securities that are subject to varying degrees of risk that the issuers of the securities will have their credit ratings downgraded or will default, potentially reducing the value of the securities.

Currency Management Strategies. Currency management strategies, including the use of forward currency contracts and other derivatives, may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currencies and currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser anticipates.

Debt Securities. Debt securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security will be unable to make interest payments or repay principal when it becomes due. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a debt security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates.

Derivatives. The use of derivatives, such as swap agreements, options, warrants, futures contracts, currency forwards and structured notes, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying currency, security, asset, index or reference rate. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing the Fund to lose more money than it would have lost had it invested in the underlying security. Also, a liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions. Over the counter instruments may be illiquid, and transactions in derivatives traded in the over-the-counter market are subject to counterparty risk.

Emerging Markets Securities. Emerging markets securities typically present even greater exposure to the risks described under “Foreign Securities” and may be particularly sensitive to certain economic changes. Emerging markets securities are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade.

Foreign Currency. Investments in global markets or securities that are denominated in foreign currencies give rise to foreign currency exposure. The U.S. dollar value of these investments will vary depending on changes in exchange rates and the performance of the underlying assets.

Foreign Securities. Foreign investments are subject to greater risks than U.S. domestic investments. These additional risks may include exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less publicly available information; more volatile or less liquid securities markets; and the possibility of arbitrary action by foreign governments, or political, economic or social instability. Foreign companies also may be subject to significantly higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies.

Hedging. Losses or gains generated by a derivative or other instrument or practice used by the Fund for hedging purposes (including for hedging interest rate risk and credit risk) should be substantially offset by gains or losses on the hedged investment. However, the Fund is exposed to the risk that changes in the value of a hedging instrument will not match those of the investment being hedged.

Investments in Other Investment Companies. The Fund’s investment in another investment company may subject the Fund indirectly to the underlying risks of the investment company. The Fund also will bear its share of the underlying investment company’s fees and expenses, which are in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses.

Market. Market risk refers to the risk that the market prices of securities that the Fund holds will rise or fall, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. In general, equity securities tend to have greater price volatility than debt securities.

Non-Diversification. A non-diversified fund’s greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund’s portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

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A non-diversified fund's greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund's portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The Fund commenced operations on July 9, 2012. Accordingly, the Fund does not have a full calendar year of performance.

Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

5.75%

Management Fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.80%

Other Expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.62%

^[2]

Fees/Expenses Waived or Reimbursed

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.42%)

^[3]

Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]

rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock

A contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares of 1.00% for one year applies to redemptions of qualified commissionable shares purchased at or above the $1 million breakpoint level.

Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]

rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount

$ 25,000

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

1,033

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

1,033

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

1.00%

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

1.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

2.81%

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

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.95%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

790

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

790

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

none

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.03%

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

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.95%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

320

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

320

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther

none

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.74%

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

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.00%

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

476

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

$ 476

Document and Entity Information	0 Months Ended
Document and Entity Information	Dec. 31, 2012
Risk/Return:
Document Type	497
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2012
Registrant Name	VAN ECK FUNDS
Central Index Key	0000768847
Amendment Flag	false
Document Creation Date	Jul. 19, 2013
Document Effective Date	Jul. 19, 2013
Prospectus Date	May 01, 2013