Strategy. To pursue its investment objective, the fund invests primarily in the stocks of publicly traded companies located in developed market countries excluding the United States, however, the fund may also invest in stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets. Developed market countries include, but are not limited to, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The fund considers any country that is not a developed market country to be an emerging market country. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The fund will … Show more… To pursue its investment objective, the fund invests primarily in the stocks of publicly traded companies located in developed market countries excluding the United States, however, the fund may also invest in stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets. Developed market countries include, but are not limited to, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The fund considers any country that is not a developed market country to be an emerging market country. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy. The fund typically invests a majority of its assets in the stocks of large-cap and mid-cap companies, but may invest a portion of its assets in small-cap companies. In addition, the portfolio managers seek to allocate the funds investments across different countries and geographic regions in an effort to manage the economic and socio-political risks associated with investing in a single country or limited number of countries. The fund generally does not intend to hedge its exposure to foreign currencies. The fund seeks to assemble a portfolio with long-term performance that will exceed that of the MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index includes over 600 securities listed on the stock exchanges of certain developed market countries in Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Far East. The fund approaches risk management from the perspective of the Index. The portfolio managers seek to keep the funds volatility similar to that of the Index. The fund uses a portfolio optimization process to assist in constructing the portfolio. The portfolio managers use the portfolio optimization process to seek to build a portfolio they believe will provide the optimal balance between risk and expected return, subject to parameters such as the number of stocks desired in the portfolio, the level of portfolio turnover, country and sector diversification, and volatility considerations. The fund actively selects portfolio securities. To aid its stock selection, the fund uses Schwab Equity Ratings International , a model that ranks stocks of foreign companies headquartered and trading in certain foreign countries. The stocks are ranked based on factors that Schwab believes to be indicative of stocks performance potential. The fund may also use additional research as a component of its overall stock selection process. This research may incorporate the analysis of factors including, but not limited to, valuation, balance sheet strength, future earnings power and trading activity to identify companies expected to outperform the broader equity market. Generally, when constructing the portfolio, the portfolio managers invest in stocks that are highly rated by Schwab Equity Ratings International. As part of the portfolio construction process, the portfolio managers may also purchase lower-rated stocks or stocks that are not rated by Schwab Equity Ratings International. This investment approach under normal conditions will result in a portfolio that maintains an overall weighting toward highly-rated stocks. For more information about Schwab Equity Ratings International, please see the More About Schwabs Research section in the prospectus. The fund may invest in derivatives, principally futures contracts, primarily to seek returns on the funds otherwise uninvested cash assets. A futures contract is a contract to buy or sell a specific financial instrument at a specified price at a specific future time. By using these instruments, the fund potentially can offset the impact on its performance of keeping some assets in cash. The fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and stocks of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The fund may also invest in depository receipts evidencing ownership of shares of foreign issuers, including American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). The fund also may lend portfolio securities to earn additional income. Any income realized through securities lending may help fund performance. For temporary defensive purposes during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, repurchase agreements and other short-term obligations. The fund also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash while looking for suitable investment opportunities. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment objective. Show less