Dimensional VA International Small Portfolio

Objective And Strategy

Objective
Long-term capital appreciation.

Strategy
Purchases securities of small companies in Japan, the UK, certain European countries, Australia (including New Zealand and Pacific Rim countries), and Canada. The Portfolio also may have exposure to securities within other countries or regions. In general, the higher the relative market capitalization of a small company within an eligible country, the greater its representation in the Portfolio. The Advisor may adjust market capitalization weights after considering such factors as free float, momentum, trading strategies, liquidity management and other factors the Advisor deems appropriate. The Advisor will determine the allocation of assets among the five segments and will periodically review and adjust such allocation, all in its sole discretion. As a non-fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Portfolio will invest at least 80% of its net assets in securities of small companies.
Low Cost Fund

Principal Risks

* This portfolio invests in securities of foreign issuers which involves risks not typically associated with domestic issuers, including currency fluctuations and the possibility of political and economic instability. Emerging markets involve risks in addition to those generally associated with foreign securities, because political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development.

* This portfolio invests (or may invest) in securities of companies with micro-, small-, or mid-capitalization. Any investment in micro-, small-, or mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk than that customarily associated with investments in larger, more established companies because of the greater business risks of smaller size, limited markets and financial resources, narrower product lines, and frequent lack of management depth. As such, micro- or small-cap companies may be more subject to erratic and abrupt market movements than securities of larger, more established companies.

* This portfolio can leverage or use leveraged instruments or derivatives. Portfolios that use leverage, that is, borrow money, are subject to the risk that the cost of borrowing money to leverage will exceed the returns for the securities purchased or that the securities purchased may actually go down in value. Thus, the portfolio's net asset value can decrease more quickly than if the portfolio had not borrowed. Portfolios that use leveraged instruments or derivatives such as futures, options and swap agreements, may expose the portfolio to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The more a portfolio invests in leveraged instruments, the more the leverage will magnify any gains or losses on those investments.

* 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 portfolio may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. The 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 potential adverse tax consequences.