BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS, 497, 1998-02-03

BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
497, 1998-02-03

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(BULLET) BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS (BULLET)

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INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
CLASS I
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Seeks long-term capital appreciation primarily from foreign equity securities,
or other securities with equity characteristics.

PROSPECTUS
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JANUARY 31, 1998

BT Institutional Funds (the "Trust") is an open-end management investment
company. The International Equity Fund (the "Fund") is a separate series of the
Trust and offers two classes of shares. The shares offered by this prospectus
are the Class I shares (the "Shares").

Please read this Prospectus carefully before investing and retain it for future
reference. It contains important information about the Fund that you should know
and can refer to in deciding whether the Fund's goals match your own.

A Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") with the same date has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and is incorporated herein
by reference. You may request a copy of the SAI or a paper copy of this
prospectus, if you have received your prospectus electronically, free of charge
by calling the Fund's Service Agent at 1-800-368-4031. The SAI, material
incorporated by reference into this document, and other information regarding
the Trust is maintained electronically with the SEC at Internet Web site
(http://www.sec.gov).

UNLIKE OTHER MUTUAL FUNDS, THE FUND SEEKS TO ACHIEVE ITS INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE BY
INVESTING ALL OF ITS INVESTABLE ASSETS ("ASSETS") IN THE INTERNATIONAL EQUITY
PORTFOLIO (THE "PORTFOLIO"), A SEPARATE INVESTMENT COMPANY WITH AN IDENTICAL
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE. THE INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE OF THE RESPECTIVE CLASS SHARES
OF THE FUND BEFORE EXPENSES WILL CORRESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE INVESTMENT
PERFORMANCE OF THE PORTFOLIO. SEE "SPECIAL INFORMATION CONCERNING MASTER-FEEDER
FUND STRUCTURE" HEREIN.

BANKERS TRUST COMPANY ("BANKERS TRUST") IS THE INVESTMENT ADVISER (THE
"ADVISER") OF THE PORTFOLIO. SHARES OF THE FUND ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS
OF, OR GUARANTEED OR ENDORSED BY, BANKERS TRUST OR ANY OTHER BANKING OR
DEPOSITORY INSTITUTION. SHARES ARE NOT FEDERALLY GUARANTEED OR INSURED BY THE
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL RESERVE
BOARD OR ANY OTHER AGENCY AND ARE SUBJECT TO INVESTMENT RISK, INCLUDING THE
POSSIBLE LOSS OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT INVESTED.

LIKE SHARES OF ALL MUTUAL FUNDS, THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR
DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

EDGEWOOD SERVICES, INC.
Clearing Operations (Bullet) P.O. Box 897 (Bullet) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(Bullet) 15230-0897

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PAGE
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The Fund.......................................................................3

Who May Invest.................................................................3

Summary of Fund Expenses.......................................................4

Financial Highlights...........................................................5

Investment Objective and Policies..............................................6

Risk Factors: Matching the Fund to Your Investment Needs.......................7

Net Asset Value...............................................................11

Purchase and Redemption of Shares.............................................11

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes............................................15

Performance and Information Reports...........................................16

Management of the Trust and Portfolio.........................................16

Additional Information........................................................20
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<PAGE>

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THE FUND
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The Fund's investment objective is long-term capital appreciation from
investments in foreign equity securities (or other securities with equity
characteristics); the production of any current income is incidental to this
objective. The Portfolio invests primarily in established companies based in
developed countries outside the United States, but the Portfolio may also invest
in emerging market securities.

The Trust seeks to achieve the investment objective of the Fund by investing all
the Assets of the Fund in the Portfolio.

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WHO MAY INVEST
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Shares of the Fund are offered through this Prospectus primarily to
institutional investors. The Shares are generally available to shareholders who
invest at least $5 million in the Fund.

<PAGE>

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SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
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The following table provides (i) a summary of expenses relating to purchases and
sales of the Class I shares of the Fund and the annual operating expenses of the
Fund and the expenses of the Portfolio, as a percentage of average net assets of
the Fund and (ii) an example illustrating the dollar cost of such expenses on a
$1,000 investment in the Fund. THE TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST BELIEVE THAT THE
AGGREGATE PER SHARE EXPENSES OF THE FUND AND THE PORTFOLIO WILL BE LESS THAN OR
APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE EXPENSES WHICH THAT FUND WOULD INCUR IF THE TRUST
RETAINED THE SERVICES OF AN INVESTMENT ADVISER AND THE ASSETS OF THAT FUND WERE
INVESTED DIRECTLY IN THE TYPE OF SECURITIES BEING HELD BY THE PORTFOLIO.

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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S><C>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES
(as a percentage of the Fund's projected average daily net assets -- Class I shares)
.........................................................................................................................
Investment advisory fee (after reimbursement or waiver) 0.58%
12b-1 fees None
Other expenses (after reimbursement or waiver) 0.37
.........................................................................................................................
Total operating expenses (after reimbursement or waiver) 0.95%
.........................................................................................................................

EXAMPLE 1 YEAR 3 YEARS

An investor would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment assuming (1)
5% annual return and (2) redemption at the end of each
time period. No redemption fee has been included. $ 10 $30
</TABLE>

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The expense table and the example above show the estimated costs and expenses
that an investor will bear directly or indirectly as a shareholder of the Fund.
Bankers Trust has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of its investment
advisory fee by the Portfolio. Without such waiver, the Portfolio's investment
advisory fee would be equal to 0.65%. Bankers Trust as administrator may also
waive or reimburse expenses payable by the Portfolio or the Fund. Bankers Trust
may terminate these voluntary waivers and reimbursements at any time in its sole
discretion without notice to shareholders. The expense table and the example
reflect a voluntary undertaking by Bankers Trust to waive or reimburse expenses
such that the total operating expenses will not exceed 0.95% of the average net
assets of Class I shares annually. In the absence of this undertaking, for the
period ended September 30, 1997 "Total Operating Expenses" of the Class I shares
of the Fund would have been 1.62%. THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A
REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES AND ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR
LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. Moreover, while the example assumes a 5% annual return,
actual performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%.

The Fund is distributed by Edgewood Services, Inc. ("Edgewood," or the
"Distributor") to customers of Bankers Trust or to customers of another bank or
a dealer or other institution that has a sub-shareholder servicing agreement
with Bankers Trust (along with Bankers Trust, a "Service Agent"). In addition,
Class I shares may be purchased by employees of Bankers Trust, their spouses and
minor children. Some Service Agents may impose certain conditions on their
customers in addition to or different from those imposed by the Fund and may
charge their customers a direct fee for their services, including transaction
fees on purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. Each Service Agent has agreed
to transmit to shareholders who are its customers appropriate disclosures of any
fees that it may charge them directly.

Currently, the Fund has issued two classes of shares. The Fund offers by
separate prospectus another class of shares. Because the expenses vary between
classes, performance will vary with respect to each class. Additional
information concerning the Fund's other class of shares is available from
Bankers Trust, as administrator at 1-800-368-4031.

For more information with respect to the expenses of the Fund and the Portfolio
see "Management of the Trust and Portfolio" herein.

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
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The following table shows selected data for a Share outstanding, total
investment return ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for
the Class I shares and Class II shares of the Fund for the period indicated and
has been audited by Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., the Fund's independent
accountants, whose report thereon appears in the Fund's Annual Report which is
incorporated by reference.

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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS I SHARES CLASS II SHARES
FOR THE PERIOD FOR THE PERIOD
APRIL 1, 1997* APRIL 1, 1997*
THROUGH THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 30, 1997 SEPTEMBER 30, 1997
-------------------- --------------------
<S><C>
Per Share Operating Performance:
NET ASSET VALUE, BEGINNING OF PERIOD........................................... $ 10.00 $ 10.00
------- -------
Income from Investment Operations
Net Investment Income........................................................ 0.00+ 0.04
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain on Investment, Option and Foreign Currency
Transactions............................................................... 2.24 2.21
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Total from Investment Operations............................................... 2.24 2.25
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DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS
Net Investment Income........................................................ -- --
Net Realized Gain from Investment Transactions............................... -- --
------- -------
Total Distributions............................................................ -- --
------- -------
NET ASSET VALUE, END OF PERIOD................................................. $ 12.24 $ 12.25
======== ========
Total Investment Return........................................................ 22.4% 22.5%
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RATIOS:
Net Assets, End of Period (000s omitted)..................................... $ 42,566 $ 8,211
Ratios to Average Net Assets:
Net Investment Income...................................................... 0.20%** 0.85%**
Expenses, including expenses of the International Equity Portfolio......... 0.95%** 0.80%**
Decrease Reflected in Above Expense Ratio Due to Absorption of Expenses by
Bankers Trust............................................................ 0.67%** 0.64%**
</TABLE>

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* Commencement of operations.
** Annualized.
+ Less than $0.01.

<PAGE>

Further information about the Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
Annual Report dated September 30, 1997, which can be obtained free of charge.

<PAGE>

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
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The Fund's investment objective is long-term capital appreciation from
investment in foreign equity securities (or other securities with equity
characteristics); the production of any current income is incidental to this
objective.

The Trust seeks to achieve the investment objective of the Fund by investing all
the Assets of the Fund in the Portfolio, which has the same investment objective
as the Fund. There can be no assurances that the investment objective of either
the Fund or the Portfolio will be achieved. The investment objective of the Fund
and the Portfolio is not a fundamental policy and may be changed upon notice to,
but without the approval of, the Fund's shareholders or the Portfolio's
investors, respectively. See "Special Information Concerning Master-Feeder Fund
Structure" herein.

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY PORTFOLIO

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of the value of
its total assets in the equity securities of foreign issuers, consisting of
common stock and other securities with equity characteristics. These issuers are
primarily established companies based in developed countries outside the United
States. However, the Portfolio may also invest in securities of issuers in
underdeveloped countries. Investments in these countries will be based on what
the Adviser believes to be an acceptable degree of risk in anticipation of
superior returns. The Portfolio will at all times be invested in the securities
of issuers based in at least three countries other than the United States. For
further discussion of the unique risks associated with investing in foreign
securities in both developed and underdeveloped countries, see "Risk Factors:
Matching the Fund to Your Investment Needs," and "Additional Information"
herein, and the SAI.

The Portfolio's investments will generally be diversified among several
geographic regions and countries. Criteria for determining the appropriate
distribution of investments among various countries and regions include the
prospects for relative growth among foreign countries, expected levels of
inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for
currency relationships and the range of alternative opportunities available to
international investors.

In countries and regions with well-developed capital markets where more
information is available, Bankers Trust will seek to select individual
investments for the Portfolio. Criteria for selection of individual securities
include the issuer's competitive position, prospects for growth, managerial
strength, earnings quality, underlying asset value, relative market value and
overall marketability. The Portfolio may invest in securities of companies
having various levels of net worth, including smaller companies whose securities
may be more volatile than securities offered by larger companies with higher
levels of net worth.

In other countries and regions where capital markets are underdeveloped or not
easily accessed and information is difficult to obtain, the Portfolio may choose
to invest only at the market level. Here, the Portfolio may seek to achieve
country exposure through use of options or futures based on an established local
index. Similarly, country exposure may also be achieved through investments in
other registered investment companies. Restrictions on both these types of
investments are fully explained herein and in the SAI.

The remainder of the Portfolio's assets will be invested in dollar and
non-dollar denominated short-term instruments. These investments are subject to
the conditions described in "Short-Term Instruments" below.

EQUITY INVESTMENTS. The Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks and other
securities with equity characteristics. For purposes of the Portfolio's policy
of investing at least 65% of the value of its total assets in the equity
securities of foreign issuers, "equity securities" are defined as common stock,
preferred stock, trust or limited partnership interests, rights and warrants,
and convertible securities (consisting of debt securities or preferred stock
that may be converted into common stock or that carry the right to purchase
common stock). The Portfolio invests in securities listed on foreign or domestic
securities exchanges and securities traded in foreign or domestic
over-the-counter markets, in addition to investment in restricted or unlisted
securities.

With respect to certain countries in which capital markets are either less
developed or not easily accessed, investments by the Portfolio may be made
through investment in other investment companies that in turn are authorized to
invest in the securities of such countries. Investment in other investment
companies is limited in amount by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940
Act"), will involve the indirect payment of a portion of the expenses, including
advisory fees, of such other investment companies and may result in a
duplication of fees and expenses.

<PAGE>

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SHORT-TERM INSTRUMENTS. The Portfolio intends to stay invested in the securities
described above to the extent practical in light of its objective and long-term
investment perspective. However, up to 35% of the Portfolio's assets may be
invested in short-term instruments with remaining maturities of 397 days or less
or in money market mutual funds: to meet anticipated redemptions and expenses;
for day-to-day operating purposes; and when the Portfolio experiences large cash
inflows through the sale of securities and desirable equity securities that are
consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective are unavailable in
sufficient quantities or at attractive prices, the Portfolio may hold short-term
investments for a limited time pending availability of such equity securities.
In addition, when in Bankers Trust's opinion, it is advisable to adopt a
temporary defensive position because of unusual and adverse conditions affecting
the equity markets, up to 35% of the Portfolio's assets may be invested in such
short-term instruments. Short-term instruments consist of foreign and domestic:
(i) short-term obligations of sovereign governments, their agencies,
instrumentalities, authorities or political subdivisions; (ii) other short-term
debt securities rated Aa or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or AA or higher by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or, if
unrated, are of comparable quality in the opinion of Bankers Trust; (iii)
commercial paper; (iv) bank obligations, including negotiable certificates of
deposit, time deposits and bankers' acceptances; and (v) repurchase agreements.
At the time the Portfolio invests in commercial paper, bank obligations or
repurchase agreements, the issuer or the issuer's parent must have outstanding
debt rated Aa or higher by Moody's or AA or higher by S&P or outstanding
commercial paper or bank obligations rated Prime-1 by Moody's or A-1 by S&P; or,
if no such ratings are available, the instrument must be of comparable quality
in the opinion of Bankers Trust. These instruments may be denominated in U.S.
dollars or in foreign currencies and will have been determined to be of high
quality by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or if
unrated, by Bankers Trust. For more information on these rating categories see
"Appendix" in the SAI.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES

The Portfolio may also utilize the following investments and investment
techniques and practices: American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global
Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs"), when-issued
and delayed delivery securities, Rule 144A securities, securities lending,
foreign currency exchange transactions, options on foreign currencies, options
on stocks, options on foreign stock indices, futures contracts on foreign stock
indices and options on futures contracts. See "Additional Information" for
further information.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

As a diversified fund, no more than 5% of the assets of the Portfolio may be
invested in the securities of one issuer (other than U.S. government
securities), except that up to 25% of the Portfolio's assets may be invested
without regard to this limitation. The Portfolio will not invest more than 25%
of its assets in the securities of issuers in any one industry. These are
fundamental investment policies of the Portfolio which may not be changed
without investor approval. No more than 15% of the Portfolio's net assets maybe
invested in illiquid or not readily marketable securities (including repurchase
agreements and time deposits with remaining maturities of more than seven
calendar days). Additional investment policies of the Portfolio are contained in
the SAI.

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RISK FACTORS: MATCHING THE FUND TO YOUR
INVESTMENT NEEDS
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By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment plan; the Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation from investment primarily in the equity
securities (as defined above) of foreign issuers. Changes in domestic and
foreign interest rates may affect the value of the Portfolio's investments, and
rising interest rates can be expected to reduce the Fund's share value. A
description of a number of investments and investment techniques available to
the Portfolio, including foreign investments and the use of options and futures,
and certain risks associated with these investments and techniques is included
under "Additional Information," herein. The Fund's share price and total return
fluctuate and your

<PAGE>

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investment may be worth more or less than your original cost when you redeem
your shares.

RISKS OF INVESTING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES

Investors should realize that investing in securities of foreign issuers
involves considerations not typically associated with investing in securities of
companies organized and operated in the United States. Although the Portfolio
intends to invest primarily in securities of established companies based in
developed countries, investors should realize that the value of the Portfolio's
investments may be adversely affected by changes in political or social
conditions, diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation,
nationalization, limitation on the removal of funds or assets, or imposition of
(or change in) exchange control or tax regulations in those foreign countries.
In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary
policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or
depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or unfavorably affect
the Portfolio's operations. Furthermore, the economies of individual foreign
nations may differ from the U.S. economy, whether favorably or unfavorably, in
areas such as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital
reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position; it may
also be more difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment against a foreign
issuer. In general, less information is publicly available with respect to
foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign
companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting
requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. Any foreign investments
made by the Portfolio must be made in compliance with U.S. and foreign currency
restrictions and tax laws restricting the amounts and types of foreign
investments.

The Portfolio may invest in the securities of issuers based in underdeveloped
countries. Investment in securities of issuers based in underdeveloped countries
entails all of the risks of investing in securities of foreign issuers outlined
in this section to a heightened degree. These heightened risks include: (i)
greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, and less
social, political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller size of the market
for such securities and a low or nonexistent volume of trading, resulting in
lack of liquidity and in price volatility; and (iii) certain national policies
which may restrict the Portfolio's investment opportunities including
restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant
national interests.

Because foreign securities generally are denominated and pay dividends or
interest in foreign currencies, and the Portfolio holds various foreign
currencies from time to time, the value of the net assets of the Portfolio as
measured in U.S. dollars will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in
exchange rates. Generally, the Portfolio's currency exchange transactions will
be conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the
currency exchange market. The cost of the Portfolio's currency exchange
transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot
rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against
uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates, the
Portfolio is authorized to enter into certain foreign currency exchange
transactions. See "Additional Information" herein.

In addition, while the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock
exchanges has increased in recent years, in most cases it remains appreciably
below that of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the "NYSE"). Accordingly, the
Portfolio's foreign investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more
volatile than comparable investments in securities of U.S. companies. Moreover,
the settlement periods for foreign securities, which are often longer than those
for securities of U.S. issuers, may affect portfolio liquidity. In buying and
selling securities on foreign exchanges, the Portfolio normally pays fixed
commissions that are generally higher than the negotiated commissions charged in
the United States. In addition, there is generally less government supervision
and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries
than in the United States.

Further information about the foreign securities in which the Portfolio may
invest, including a further discussion of related risks and special
considerations is contained in the SAI.

RISKS OF INVESTING IN EMERGING MARKETS

<PAGE>

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Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United
States; the world's emerging markets generally include but are not limited to
the following: Argentina, Botswana, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China,
Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Hungary,
India, Indonesia, Israel, the Ivory Coast, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand,
Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Investment in securities of issuers based in underdeveloped emerging markets
entails all of the risks of investing in securities of foreign issuers outlined
in this section to a heightened degree. These heightened risks include: (i)
greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, and less
social, political and economic stability; (ii) the smaller size of the market
for such securities and a low or nonexistent volume of trading, resulting in
lack of liquidity and in price volatility; and (iii) certain national policies
which may restrict the Portfolio's investment opportunities including
restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant
national interests.

In addition to brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs
relating to investment in emerging markets are generally more expensive than in
the United States. Such markets have been unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. The
inability of the Portfolio to make intended security purchases due to settlement
problems could cause the Portfolio to miss attractive investment opportunities.
Inability to dispose of a security due to settlement problems could result
either in losses to the Portfolio due to subsequent declines in the value of the
security or, if the Portfolio has entered into a contract to sell the security,
could result in possible liability to the purchaser.

Further information about the foreign markets in which the Portfolio may invest,
including a further discussion of related risks and special considerations is
contained in the SAI.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

Bankers Trust intends to manage the Portfolio actively in pursuit of its
investment objective. The Portfolio does not expect to trade in securities for
short-term profits but, when circumstances warrant, securities may be sold
without regard to the length of time held. The Portfolio's portfolio turnover
rates for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1997, and 1996, were 63% and 68%,
respectively.

DERIVATIVES

The Portfolio may invest in various instruments that are commonly known as
"derivatives." Generally, a derivative is a financial arrangement, the value of
which is based on, or "derived" from, a traditional security, asset or market
index. Some "derivatives" such as mortgage-related and other asset-backed
securities are in many respects like any other investment, although they may be
more volatile or less liquid than more traditional debt securities. There are,
in fact, many different types of derivatives and many different ways to use
them. There is also a range of risks associated with those uses. Futures and
options are commonly used for traditional hedging purposes to attempt to protect
a fund from exposure to changing interest rates, securities prices or currency
exchange rates and for cash management purposes as a low cost method of gaining
exposure to a particular securities market without investing directly in those
securities. However, some derivatives are used for leverage, which tends to
magnify the effects of an instrument's price changes as market conditions
change. Leverage involves the use of a small amount of money to control a large
amount of financial assets and can, in some circumstances, lead to significant
losses. Bankers Trust, as the Portfolio's Adviser will use derivatives only in
circumstances where the Adviser believes they offer the most economic means of
improving the risk/reward profile of the Portfolio. Derivatives will not be used
to increase portfolio risk above the level that could be achieved using only
traditional investment securities or to acquire exposure to changes in the value
of assets or indices that by themselves would not be purchased for the
Portfolio. The use of derivatives for non-hedging purposes may be considered
speculative. A description of the derivatives that the Portfolio may use and
some of their associated risks is found under "Additional Information" herein.

SPECIAL INFORMATION CONCERNING MASTER-FEEDER FUND STRUCTURE

Unlike other open-end management investment companies (mutual funds) which
directly acquire and manage their own portfolio securities, the Fund seeks to
achieve

<PAGE>

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its investment objective by investing all of its Assets in the Portfolio, a
separate registered investment company with the same investment objective as the
Fund. Therefore, an investor's interest in the Portfolio's securities is
indirect. In addition to selling a beneficial interest to the Fund, the
Portfolio may sell beneficial interests to other mutual funds, investment
vehicles or institutional investors. Such investors will invest in the Portfolio
on the same terms and conditions and will pay a proportionate share of the
Portfolio's expenses. However, the other investors investing in the Portfolio
are not required to sell their shares at the same public offering price as the
Fund due to variations in sales commissions and other operating expenses.
Therefore, investors in the Fund should be aware that these differences may
result in differences in returns experienced by investors in the different funds
that invest in the Portfolio. Such differences in returns are also present in
other mutual fund structures. Information concerning other holders of interests
in the Portfolio is available from Bankers Trust at 1-800-368-4031.

The master-feeder fund structure is relatively complex, so shareholders should
carefully consider this investment approach.

Smaller funds investing in the Portfolio may be materially affected by the
actions of larger funds investing in the Portfolio. For example, if a large fund
withdraws from the Portfolio, the remaining funds may experience higher pro rata
operating expenses, thereby producing lower returns (however, this possibility
exists as well for traditionally structured funds which have large institutional
investors). Additionally, the Portfolio may become less diverse, resulting in
increased portfolio risk. Also, funds with a greater pro rata ownership in the
Portfolio could have effective voting control of the operations of the
Portfolio. Except as permitted by the SEC, whenever the Trust is requested to
vote on matters pertaining to the Portfolio, the Trust will hold a meeting of
shareholders of the Fund and will cast all of its votes in the same proportion
as the votes of the Fund's shareholders. Fund shareholders who do not vote will
not affect the Trust's votes at the Portfolio meeting. The percentage of the
Trust's votes representing the Fund's shareholders not voting will be voted by
the Trustees or officers of the Trust in the same proportion as the Fund
shareholders who do, in fact, vote.

Certain changes in the Portfolio's investment objectives, policies or
restrictions may require the Fund to withdraw its interest in the Portfolio. Any
such withdrawal could result in a distribution "in kind" of portfolio securities
(as opposed to a cash distribution from the Portfolio). If securities are
distributed, the Fund could incur brokerage, tax or other charges in converting
the securities to cash. In addition, the distribution in kind may result in a
less diversified portfolio of investments or adversely affect the liquidity of
the Fund. Notwithstanding the above, there are other means for meeting
redemption requests, such as borrowing.

The Fund may withdraw its investment from the Portfolio at any time, if the
Board of Trustees (see SAI, "Management of the Trust and the Portfolio" for
Trustees and Officers of the Trust and Portfolio) of the Trust determines that
it is in the best interests of the shareholders of the Fund to do so. Upon any
such withdrawal, the Board of Trustees of the Trust would consider what action
might be taken, including the investment of all the Assets of the Fund in
another pooled investment entity having the same investment objective as the
Fund or the retaining of an investment adviser to manage the Fund's assets in
accordance with the investment policies described herein with respect to the
Portfolio.

The Fund's investment objective is not a fundamental policy and may be changed
upon notice to, but without the approval of, the Fund's shareholders. If there
is a change in the Fund's investment objective, the Fund's shareholders should
consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of their
then-current needs. The investment objective of the Portfolio is also not a
fundamental policy. Shareholders of the Fund will receive 30 days prior written
notice with respect to any change in the investment objective of the Fund or the
Portfolio. See "Investment Objective and Policies" herein, for a description of
the fundamental policies of the Portfolio that cannot be changed without
approval by the holders of "a majority of the outstanding voting securities" (as
defined in the 1940 Act) of the Portfolio.

For descriptions of the investment objective, policies and restrictions of the
Portfolio, see "Investment Objective and Policies." For descriptions of the
management and expenses of the Portfolio, see "Management of the Trust and
Portfolio" herein and in the SAI.

<PAGE>

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NET ASSET VALUE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The net asset value ("NAV") per Share is calculated on each day on which the
NYSE is open (each such day being a "Valuation Day"). The NYSE is currently open
on each day, Monday through Friday, except (a) January 1st, Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day (the third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (the third Monday in
February), Good Friday, Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), July 4th, Labor
Day (the first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (the last Thursday in
November) and December 25th; and (b) the preceding Friday or the subsequent
Monday when one of the calendar determined holidays falls on a Saturday or
Sunday, respectively.

The NAV per Share is calculated once on each Valuation Day as of the close of
regular trading on the NYSE (the "Valuation Time"), which is currently 4:00
p.m., Eastern time or in the event that the NYSE closes early, at the time of
such early closing. The NAV per Share is computed by dividing the value of the
Fund's Assets (i.e., the value of its investment in the Portfolio and other
assets), less all liabilities attributable to the Shares, by the total number of
Shares outstanding as of the Valuation Time. The Portfolio's securities and
other assets are valued primarily on the basis of market quotations or, if
quotations are not readily available, by a method which the Portfolio's Board of
Trustees believes accurately reflects fair value.

Under procedures adopted by the Board, a NAV for a Fund later determined to have
been inaccurate for any reason will be recalculated. Purchases and redemptions
made at a NAV determined to have been inaccurate will be adjusted, although in
certain circumstances, such as where the difference between the original NAV and
the recalculated NAV divided by the recalculated is 0.005 (1/2 of 1%) or less or
shareholder transactions are otherwise insubstantially affected, further action
is not required.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO BUY SHARES

The Trust accepts purchase orders for Shares of the Fund at the NAV per Share
next determined after the order is received on each Valuation Day. See "Net
Asset Value" herein. Shares may be available through Investment Professionals,
such as broker/dealers and investment advisors (including Service Agents).

Purchase orders for Shares (including those purchased through a Service Agent)
that are transmitted to the Trust's Transfer Agent (the "Transfer Agent"), prior
to the Valuation Time on any Valuation Day will be effective at that day's
Valuation Time. The Trust and Transfer Agent reserve the right to reject any
purchase order.

Shares must be purchased in accordance with procedures established by the
Transfer Agent and each Service Agent. It is the responsibility of each Service
Agent to transmit to the Transfer Agent purchase and redemption orders and to
transmit to Bankers Trust as the Trust's custodian (the "Custodian") purchase
payments by the following business day (trade date + 1) after an order for
shares is placed. A shareholder must settle with the Service Agent for his or
her entitlement to an effective purchase or redemption order as of a particular
time. Because Bankers Trust is the Custodian and Transfer Agent of the Trust,
funds may be transferred directly from or to a customer's account held with
Bankers Trust to settle transactions with the Fund without incurring the
additional costs or delays associated with the wiring of federal funds.

The Trust and Bankers Trust have authorized one or more brokers to accept on the
Trust's behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to
designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the
Trust's behalf. The Transfer Agent will be deemed to have received a purchase or
redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker's
authorized designee, accepts the order. Customer orders will be priced at the
Fund's NAV next computed after they are accepted by an authorized broker or the
broker's authorized designee.

Certificates for Shares will not be issued. Each shareholder's account will be
maintained by a Service Agent or Transfer Agent.

If orders are placed through an Investment Professional, it is the
responsibility of the Investment Professional to

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

transmit the order to buy Shares to the Transfer Agent before 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time.

The Transfer Agent must receive payment within one business day after an order
for Shares is placed; otherwise, the purchase order may be canceled and the
investor could be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.

MINIMUM INVESTMENTS

TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT $5 MILLION

TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT $1 MILLION

MINIMUM ACCOUNT BALANCE $1 MILLION

The Fund and its service providers reserve the right to, from time to time in
their discretion, waive or reduce the investment minimums. Class I shares may be
purchased by employees of Bankers Trust, their spouses and minor children
without regard to the minimum investment requirements.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS, complete and sign an account
application and mail it along with your check to the address listed below. If
there is no account application accompanying this Prospectus, call the BT
Service Center at 1-800-368-4031.

BT Service Center
P.O. Box 419210
Kansas City, MO 64141-6210

Overnight mailings:

BT Service Center
210 West 10th Street, 8th Floor
Kansas City, MO 64105-1716

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE MONEY INVESTED IN A FUND IN THE BT FAMILY OF FUNDS, you can:

(Bullet) Mail an account application with a check,

(Bullet) Wire money into your account,

(Bullet) Open an account by exchanging from another fund in the BT Family of
Funds, or

(Bullet) Contact your Service Agent or Investment Professional.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUYING SHARES

<TABLE>
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
<S><C>
BY WIRE Call the BT Service Center at Call your Investment
Professional or wire 1-800-368-4031 to receive wire
instructions additional investment to:
for account establishment.
ROUTING NO.: 021001033
ATTN: Bankers Trust/IFTC Deposit
DDA NO.: 00-226-296
FBO: (Account name)
(Account number)
CREDIT: BT Institutional International Equity
Fund (I)-499

BY PHONE Contact your Service Agent, Investment Contact your Service Agent, Investment
Professional, or call BT's Service Center at Professional, or call BT's Service Center at
1-800-368-4031. If you are an existing 1-800-368-4031. If you are an existing
Shareholder, you may exchange from another BT Shareholder, you may exchange from another BT
account with the same registration, account with the same registration,
including, name, address, and taxpayer ID including, name, address, and taxpayer ID
number. number.

BY MAIL Complete and sign the account application. Make your check payable to the complete name
Make your check payable to the complete name of the Fund of your choice. Indicate your
of the Fund of your choice. Mail to the Fund account number on your check and mail to
appropriate address indicated on the the address printed on your account
application. statement.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO SELL SHARES

You can arrange to take money out of your fund account at any time by selling
(redeeming) some or all of your Shares. Your Shares shall be sold at the next
NAV calculated after an order is received by the Transfer Agent. Redemption
requests should be transmitted by customers in accordance with procedures
established by the Transfer Agent and the Shareholder's Service Agent.
Redemption requests for Shares received by the Service Agent and transmitted to
the Transfer Agent prior to the Valuation Time on each Valuation Day will be
effective at that day's Valuation Time and the redemption proceeds normally will
be delivered to the shareholder's account the next day, but in any event within
seven calendar days following receipt of the request.

Service Agents may allow redemptions or exchanges by telephone and may disclaim
liability for following instructions communicated by telephone that the Service
Agent reasonably believes to be genuine. The Service Agent must provide the
investor with an opportunity to choose whether or not to utilize the telephone
redemption or exchange privilege. The Transfer Agent and the Service Agent must
employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by
telephone are genuine. If the Shareholder Servicing Agent does not do so, it
maybe liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. Such
procedures may include, among others, requiring some form of personal
identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone,
providing written confirmation of such transactions and/or tape recording of
telephone instructions.

Redemption orders are processed without charge by the Trust. A Service Agent may
on at least 30 days' notice involuntarily redeem a shareholder's account with
the Fund having a balance below the minimum, but not if an account is below the
minimum due to a change in market value. See "Minimum Investments" above for
minimum balance amounts.

TO SELL SHARES IN A RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, your request must be made in writing,
except for exchanges to other eligible funds in the BT Family of Funds, which
can be requested by phone or in writing. For information on retirement
distributions, contact your Service Agent or call the BT Service Center at
1-800-368-4031.

TO SELL SHARES BY BANK WIRE you will need to sign up for these services in
advance when completing your account application.

CERTAIN REQUESTS MUST INCLUDE A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE to protect you and Bankers
Trust from fraud. Redemption requests in writing must include a signature
guarantee if any of the following situations apply:

(Bullet) Your account registration has changed within the last 30 days,

(Bullet) The check is being mailed to a different address than the one on your
account (record address),

(Bullet) The check is being made payable to someone other than the account
owner,

(Bullet) The redemption proceeds are being transferred to a BT account with a
different registration, or

(Bullet) You wish to have redemption proceeds wired to a non-predesignated bank
account.

A signature guarantee is also required if you change the pre-designated bank
information for receiving redemption proceeds on your account.

You should be able to obtain a signature guarantee from a bank, broker, dealer,
credit union (if authorized under state law), securities exchange or
association, clearing agency, or savings association. A notary public cannot
provide a signature guarantee.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SELLING SHARES

BY WIRE - You must sign up for the wire feature before using it. To verify that
it is in place, call 1-800-368-4031. Minimum wire: $1,000. Your wire redemption
request must be received by the Transfer Agent before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
money to be wired on the next business day.

IN WRITING - Write a signed "letter of instruction" with your name, the Fund's
name and Fund's number, your Fund account number, the dollar amount or number of
Shares to be redeemed, and mail to one of the following addresses:

BT Service Center
P.O. Box 419210
Kansas City, MO 64141-6210

Overnight mailings:

BT Service Center
210 West 10th Street, 8th Floor
Kansas City, MO 64105-1716

For Trust accounts, the trustee must sign the letter indicating capacity as
trustee. If the trustee's name is not on the account registration, provide a
copy of the trust document certified within the last 60 days.

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For a Business or Organization account, at least one person authorized by
corporate resolution to act on the account must sign the letter.

Unless otherwise instructed, the Transfer Agent will send a check to the account
address of record. The Trust reserves the right to close investor accounts via
30 day notice in writing if the Fund account balance falls below $1 Million.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

Shareholders may exchange their Shares for shares of certain other funds in the
BT Family of Funds registered in their state. The Fund reserves the right to
terminate or modify the exchange privilege in the future. To make an exchange,
follow the procedures indicated in "How to Buy Shares" and "How to Sell Shares"
herein. Before making an exchange, please note the following:

(Bullet) Call your Service Agent for information and a prospectus. Read the
prospectus for relevant information.

(Bullet) Complete and sign an application, taking care to register your new
account in the same name, address and taxpayer identification number as
your existing account(s).

(Bullet) Each exchange represents the sale of shares of one fund and the
purchase of shares of another, which may produce a gain or loss for tax
purposes. Your Service Agent will receive a written confirmation of
each exchange transaction.

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISTRIBUTIONS. The Fund distributes substantially all of its net investment
income and capital gains to shareholders each year. Income dividends and any net
capital gains are normally distributed annually. Unless a shareholder instructs
the Trust to pay such dividends and distributions in cash, they will be
automatically reinvested in additional Shares.

FEDERAL TAXES. The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company, as
defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Provided
the Fund meets the requirements imposed by the Code and distributes all of its
income and gains, the Fund will not pay any federal income or excise taxes. The
Portfolio will also not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes.

Distributions from the Fund's income and short-term capital gains are taxed as
dividends, and long-term capital gain distributions are taxed as long-term
capital gains. The Fund's distributions are taxable when they are paid, whether
you take them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares. Distributions
declared to shareholders of record in November and December and paid in January
are taxable as if paid on December 31. The Fund will send each shareholder a tax
statement by January 31 showing the tax status of the distributions received in
the past year.

CAPITAL GAINS. You may realize a capital gain or loss when you redeem (sell) or
exchange Shares. Because the tax treatment also depends on your purchase price
and your personal tax position, you should keep your regular account statements
to use in determining your tax.

"BUYING A DIVIDEND." On the ex-date for a distribution from income and/or
capital gains, the Share value is reduced by the amount of the distribution. If
you buy Shares just before the ex-date ("buying a dividend"), you will pay the
full price for the Shares and then receive a portion of the price back as a
taxable distribution.

OTHER TAX INFORMATION. In addition to federal taxes, you may be subject to state
or local taxes on your investment, depending on the laws in your area. Income
received by the Portfolio from sources within foreign countries may be subject
to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Investors should
consult their tax advisor for specific details on state, local or foreign taxes.
Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or
eliminate such taxes. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of
foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Portfolio's assets to be invested
in various countries will vary.

If the Portfolio is liable for foreign taxes, and if more than 50% of the value
of the Portfolio's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of
stocks or securities of foreign corporations, it may make an election pursuant
to which certain foreign taxes paid by it would be treated as having been paid
directly by shareholders of the entities, such as the Fund, which have invested
in the Portfolio. Pursuant to such election, the amount of foreign taxes paid
will be included in the income of Fund shareholders, and Fund shareholders
(except tax-exempt shareholders) may, subject to a holding period requirement
and/or certain other limitations, claim either a credit or deduction for the
taxes. Each Fund shareholder will be notified after the close of the Portfolio's
taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid will "pass through" for that year
and, if so, such notification will designate (a) the shareholder's portion of
the foreign taxes paid to each such country and (b) the portion which represents
income derived from sources within each such country.

The amount of foreign taxes for which a shareholder may claim a credit in any
year will generally be subject to a separate limitation for "passive income,"
which includes, among other items of income, dividends, interest and certain
foreign currency gains. Because capital gains realized by the Portfolio on the
sale of foreign securities will be treated as U.S.-source income, the available
credit of foreign taxes paid with respect to such gains may be restricted by
this limitation.

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERFORMANCE AND INFORMATION REPORTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Shares' performance may be used from time to time in advertisements,
shareholder reports or other communications to shareholders or prospective
shareholders. Performance information may include the Fund's investment results
and/or comparisons of its investment results to the Morgan Stanley Capital
International Europe, Australia, Far East ("EAFE") Index, Morgan Stanley Capital
International Gross Domestic Product weighted EAFE Index, the Lipper
International Average, or various other unmanaged indices or results of other
mutual funds or investment or savings vehicles. The Fund's investment results as
used in such communications will be calculated on a total rate of return basis
in the manner set forth herein. From time to time, fund rankings may be quoted
from various sources, such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Value Line, and
Morningstar, Inc.

The Trust may provide period and average annualized "total return" quotations
for the Shares. The Shares' "total return" refers to the change in the value of
an investment in the Shares over a stated period based on any change in net
asset value per Share and including the value of any Shares purchased with any
dividends or capital gains distributed during such period. Period total return
may be annualized. An annualized total return is a compounded total return which
assumes that the period total return is generated over a one-year period, and
that all dividends and capital gain distributions are reinvested. An annualized
total return will be higher than a period total return if the period is shorter
than one year, because of the compounding effect.

Unlike some bank deposits or other investments which pay a fixed yield for a
stated period of time, the total return of the Fund will vary depending upon
interest rates, the current market value of the securities held by the Portfolio
and changes in the Shares' expenses. In addition, during certain periods for
which total return may be provided, Bankers Trust, as Adviser, Shareholder
Servicing Agent or Administrator, or Edgewood, as Distributor, may have
voluntarily agreed to waive portions of their fees on a month-to-month basis.
Such waivers will have the effect of increasing Shares' net income (and
therefore its total return) during the period such waivers are in effect.

Shareholders will receive financial reports semi-annually that include the
Portfolio's financial statements, including a listing of investment securities
held by the Portfolio at those dates. Annual reports are audited by independent
accountants.

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST AND PORTFOLIO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The affairs of the Trust and the Portfolio are managed under the supervision of
their respective Boards of Trustees. By virtue of the responsibilities assumed
by Bankers Trust, the administrator of the Trust and Portfolio, neither the
Trust nor the Portfolio requires employees other than its executive officers.
None of the executive officers of the Trust or the Portfolio devotes full time
to the affairs of the Trust or the Portfolio.

The Trustees of the Trust who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the
1940 Act) (the "Independent Trustees") of the Trust or of the Portfolio, as the
case may be, have adopted written procedures reasonably appropriate to deal with
potential conflicts of interest, up to and including creating separate boards of
trustees, arising from the fact that several of the same individuals are
trustees of the Trust and of the Portfolio. For more information with respect to
the Trustees of both the Trust and the Portfolio, see "Management of the Trust
and Portfolio" in the SAI.

INVESTMENT ADVISER

The Trust has not retained the services of an investment adviser since the Trust
seeks to achieve the investment objective of the Fund by investing all the
Assets of the Fund in the Portfolio. The Portfolio has retained the services of
Bankers Trust as Adviser.

BANKERS TRUST COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES

Bankers Trust Company, a New York banking corporation with principal offices at
130 Liberty Street, (One Bankers Trust Plaza), New York, New York 10006, is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Bankers Trust New York Corporation. Bankers Trust
conducts a variety of general banking and trust activities and is a major
wholesale supplier of financial services to the international and domestic
institutional markets. As of December 31, 1997, Bankers Trust New York
Corporation was the seventh largest bank holding company in the United States
with total assets of over $100 billion. Bankers Trust is a worldwide merchant
bank dedicated to servicing the

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

needs of corporations, governments, financial institutions and private clients
through a global network of over 90 offices in more than 50 countries.
Investment management is a core business of Bankers Trust, built on a tradition
of excellence from its roots as a trust bank founded in 1903. The scope of
Bankers Trust's investment management capability is unique due to its leadership
positions in both active and passive quantitative management and its presence in
major equity and fixed income markets around the world. Bankers Trust is one of
the nation's largest and most experienced investment managers with over $300
billion in assets under management globally.

Bankers Trust has more than 50 years of experience managing retirement assets
for the nation's largest corporations and institutions. In the past, these
clients have been serviced through separate account and commingled fund
structures. Bankers Trust's officers have had extensive experience in managing
investment portfolios having objectives similar to those of the Portfolio.

Bankers Trust, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of Trustees
of the Portfolio, manages the Portfolio in accordance with the Portfolio's
investment objective and stated investment policies, makes investment decisions
for the Portfolio, places orders to purchase and sell securities and other
financial instruments on behalf of the Portfolio and employs professional
investment managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the
Portfolio. Bankers Trust may utilize the expertise of any of its worldwide
subsidiaries and affiliates to assist it in its role as Adviser.

All orders for investment transactions on behalf of the Portfolio are placed by
Bankers Trust with broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries that it
selects, including those affiliated with Bankers Trust. A Bankers Trust
affiliate will be used in connection with a purchase or sale of an investment
for the Portfolio only if Bankers Trust believes that the affiliate's charge for
the transaction does not exceed usual and customary levels. The Portfolio will
not invest in obligations for which Bankers Trust or any of its affiliates is
the ultimate obligor or accepting bank. The Portfolio may, however, invest in
the obligations of correspondents and customers of Bankers Trust.

Under its Investment Advisory Agreement, Bankers Trust receives a fee from the
Portfolio, computed daily and paid monthly, at the annual rate of 0.65% (before
waiver) of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio. Under certain
circumstances Bankers Trust has agreed to pay fees to certain securities
brokers, dealers and other entities that facilitate the sale of Fund shares, and
in connection therewith provide administrative, shareholder or distribution
related services to the Fund or its shareholders. Fees paid to entities that
administer mutual fund "supermarkets" may be higher than fees paid for other
types of services.

Bankers Trust has been advised by its counsel that, in counsel's opinion,
Bankers Trust currently may perform the services for the Trust and the Portfolio
described in this Prospectus and the SAI without violation of the Glass-Steagall
Act or other applicable banking laws or regulations.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Michael Levy, Managing Director of Bankers Trust, has been a manager of the
Portfolio since joining Bankers Trust in 1993, and has been its primary manager
since 1995. Mr. Levy is Bankers Trust's international equity strategist and is
head of the international equity team. He has served in each of these capacities
since 1993. The international equity team is responsible for the day to day
management of the Portfolio as well as other international equity portfolios
managed by Bankers Trust. Mr. Levy's experience prior to joining Bankers Trust
includes investment banking and equity analysis with Oppenheimer & Company. He
has twenty-six years of business experience, of which sixteen years have been in
the investment industry.

Robert Reiner, Managing Director of Bankers Trust, has been a manager of the
Portfolio since joining Bankers Trust in 1994 and its co-manager since 1995. At
Bankers Trust, he has been involved in developing analytical and investment
tools for the group's international equity team; his primary focus has been on
Japanese and European markets. Prior to joining Bankers Trust, he was an equity
analyst and also provided macroeconomic coverage for Scudder, Stevens & Clark
from 1993 to 1994. He previously served as Senior Analyst at Sanford C.
Bernstein & Co. from 1991 to 1992, and was instrumental in the development of
Bernstein's International Value Fund. Mr. Reiner spent more than nine years at
Standard & Poor's Corporation, where he was a member of its international
ratings group. His tenure included managing the day to day operations of the
Standard & Poor's Corporation Tokyo office for three years.

<PAGE>

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Julie Wang, Principal of Bankers Trust, has been a manager of the Portfolio
since joining Bankers Trust in 1994 and its co-manager since 1996. Ms. Wang has
primary focus on the Asia-Pacific region and the Portfolio's emerging market
exposure. Prior to joining Bankers Trust, Ms. Wang was an investment manager at
American International Group, where she advised in the management of $7 billion
of assets in Southeast Asia, including private and listed equities, bonds, loans
and structured products. Ms. Wang received her B.A. (economics) from Yale
University and her MBA from the Wharton School.

ADMINISTRATOR

Under its Administration and Services Agreement with the Trust, Bankers Trust
calculates the net asset value of the Fund and generally assists the Board of
Trustees of the Trust in all aspects of the administration and operation of the
Trust. The Administration and Services Agreement provides for the Trust to pay
Bankers Trust a fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the annual rate of
0.40% of the average daily net assets of the Shares.

Under an Administration and Services Agreement with the Portfolio, Bankers Trust
calculates the value of the assets of the Portfolio and generally assists the
Board of Trustees of the Portfolio in all aspects of the administration and
operation of the Portfolio. The Administration and Services Agreement provides
for the Portfolio to pay Bankers Trust a fee, computed daily and paid monthly,
at the annual rate of 0.15% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio.
Under each Administration and Services Agreement, Bankers Trust may delegate one
or more of its responsibilities to others, including affiliates of Edgewood, at
Bankers Trust's expense. For more information, see the SAI.

DISTRIBUTOR

Edgewood Services, Inc. is the principal distributor for shares of the Fund. In
addition, Edgewood and its affiliates provide the Trust with office facilities,
and currently provide administration and distribution services for other
registered investment companies. The principal business address of Edgewood and
its affiliates is Clearing Operations, P.O. Box 897, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
15230-0897.

SERVICE AGENT

All shareholders must be represented by a Service Agent. Bankers Trust acts as a
Service Agent pursuant to its Administration and Services Agreement with the
Trust and receives no additional compensation from the Fund for such shareholder
services. The service fees of any other Service Agents, including
broker-dealers, will be paid by Bankers Trust from its fees. The services
provided by a Service Agent may include establishing and maintaining shareholder
accounts, processing purchase and redemption transactions, arranging for bank
wires, performing shareholder sub-accounting, answering client inquiries
regarding the Trust, assisting clients in changing dividend options, account
designations and addresses, providing periodic statements showing the client's
account balance, transmitting proxy statements, periodic reports, updated
prospectuses and other communications to shareholders and, with respect to
meetings of shareholders, collecting, tabulating and forwarding to the Trust
executed proxies and obtaining such other information and performing such other
services as the Administrator or the Service Agent's clients may reasonably
request and agree upon with the Service Agent. Service Agents may separately
charge their clients additional fees only to cover provision of additional or
more comprehensive services not already provided under the Administration and
Services Agreement with Bankers Trust, or of the type or scope not generally
offered by a mutual fund, such as cash management services or enhanced
retirement or trust reporting. In addition, investors may be charged a
transaction fee if they effect transactions in Fund shares through a broker or
agent. Each Service Agent has agreed to transmit to shareholders, who are its
customers, appropriate disclosures of any fees that it may charge them directly.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

Bankers Trust acts as Custodian of the assets of the Trust and the Portfolio and
serves as the Transfer Agent for the Trust and the Portfolio under the
Administration and Services Agreement with the Trust and the Portfolio.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST

The Trust was organized on March 26, 1990 under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. The Fund is a separate series of the Trust. The Trust offers
shares of beneficial interest of separate series, par value $0.001

<PAGE>

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per share. Trustees of the Trust established and designated two classes of
shares of beneficial interest of the Fund -- Class I shares and Class II shares.
The shares of the other series of the Trust are offered through a separate
prospectus. The Trust reserves the right to add additional series in the future.
The Trust also reserves the right to issue additional classes of shares of the
Fund. No series of shares has any preference over any other series.

Each Class represents an identical interest in the Fund's investment portfolio.
As a result, the Classes have the same rights, privileges and preferences,
except with respect to: (1) the designation of each Class; (2) the expenses
allocated exclusively to each Class; and (3) voting right on matters exclusively
affecting a single Class. The Trustees of the Trust do not anticipate that there
will be any conflicts among the interests of the holders of the different
Classes and will take appropriate action if any such conflict arises.

When matters are submitted for shareholder vote, shareholders of the Fund will
have one vote for each full share held and proportionate, fractional votes for
fractional shares held. A separate vote of the Fund or Class is required on any
matter affecting the Fund or Class on which shareholders are entitled to vote.
Shareholders of the Fund or Class are not entitled to vote on Trust matters that
do not affect the Fund or Class. There normally will be no meetings of
shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as
less than a majority of Trustees holding office have been elected by
shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in office will call a
shareholders' meeting for the election of Trustees. Any Trustee may be removed
from office upon the vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the
Trust's outstanding shares at a meeting called for that purpose. The Trustees
are required to call such a meeting upon the written request of shareholders
holding at least 10% of the Trust's outstanding shares.

The Trust is an entity commonly known as a "Massachusetts business trust." Under
Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a business trust may, under certain
circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations.
However, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of
shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate
insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.

The Portfolio, in which all the Assets of the Fund will be invested, is
organized as a trust under the laws of the State of New York. The Portfolio's
Declaration of Trust provides that the Fund and other entities investing in the
Portfolio (e.g., other investment companies, insurance company separate accounts
and common and commingled trust funds) will each be liable for all obligations
of the Portfolio. However, the risk of the Fund incurring financial loss on
account of such liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate
insurance existed and the Portfolio itself was unable to meet its obligations.
Accordingly, the Trustees of the Trust believe that neither the Fund nor its
shareholders will be adversely affected by reason of the Fund's investing in the
Portfolio.

Each series in the Trust will not be involved in any vote involving a Portfolio
in which it does not invest its Assets. Shareholders of all of the series of the
Trust will, however, vote together to elect Trustees of the Trust and for
certain other matters. Under certain circumstances, the shareholders of one or
more series could control the outcome of these votes.

As of December 31, 1997, Bankers Trust Company trustee for Aerostructures Corp.
403(b), Jersey City, New Jersey, and Washavco, Saginaw Michigan, owned
approximately 32% and 36%, respectively, of the voting securities for the Fund,
and, therefore, may, for certain purposes, be deemed to control the Fund and be
able to affect the outcome of certain matters presented for a vote of its
shareholders.

EXPENSES OF THE FUND, PORTFOLIO AND CLASS I SHARES

The Fund bears its own expenses. Operating expenses for the Fund for which
holders of Class I shares pay their allocable portion generally consist of all
costs not specifically borne by Bankers Trust or Edgewood, including
administration and services fees, fees for necessary professional services,
amortization of organizational expenses and costs associated with regulatory
compliance and maintaining legal existence and shareholder relations. The
Portfolio bears its own expenses. Operating expenses for the Portfolio generally
consist of all costs not specifically borne by Bankers Trust or Edgewood,
including investment advisory and administration and services fees, fees for
necessary professional services, amortization of organizational expenses, the
costs associated with regulatory compliance and maintaining legal existence and
investor relations.

<PAGE>

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS, GLOBAL DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS AND EUROPEAN DEPOSITARY
RECEIPTS. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of
a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar financial institution.
Designed for use in U.S., international and European securities markets,
respectively, ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are alternatives to the purchase of the
underlying securities in their national markets and currencies. ADRs, GDRs and
EDRs are subject to the same risks as the foreign securities to which they
relate.

WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED DELIVERY SECURITIES. The Portfolio may purchase
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. Delivery of and payment
for these securities may take place as long as a month or more after the date of
the purchase commitment. The value of these securities is subject to market
fluctuation during this period and no income accrues to the Portfolio until
settlement takes place. The Portfolio maintains with the Custodian a segregated
account containing high grade liquid securities in an amount at least equal to
these commitments. When entering into a when-issued or delayed delivery
transaction, the Portfolio will rely on the other party to consummate the
transaction; if the other party fails to do so, the Portfolio may be
disadvantaged.

RULE 144A SECURITIES. The Portfolio may purchase securities in the United States
that are not registered for sale under federal securities laws but which can be
resold to institutions under the SEC Rule 144A. Provided that a dealer or
institutional trading market in such securities exists, these restricted
securities are treated as exempt from the Portfolio's 15% limit on illiquid
securities. Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio,
Bankers Trust determines the liquidity of restricted securities and, through
reports from Bankers Trust, the Board will monitor trading activity in
restricted securities. If institutional trading in restricted securities were to
decline, the liquidity of the Portfolio could be adversely affected.

SECURITIES LENDING. The Portfolio is permitted to lend up to 30% of the total
value of its securities. These loans must be secured continuously by cash or
equivalent collateral or by a letter of credit at least equal to the market
value of the securities loaned plus accrued income. By lending its securities,
the Portfolio can increase its income by continuing to receive income on the
loaned securities as well as by the opportunity to receive interest on the
collateral. During the term of the loan, the Portfolio continues to bear the
risk of fluctuations in the price of the loaned securities. In lending
securities to brokers, dealers and other organizations, the Portfolio is subject
to risk which, like those associated with other extensions of credit, include
delays in recovery and possible loss of rights in the collateral should the
borrower fail financially.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. In a repurchase agreement the Portfolio buys a security
and simultaneously agrees to sell it back at a higher price at a future date. In
the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to either a repurchase agreement
or a securities loan, the Portfolio could experience delays in recovering either
its cash or the securities it lent. To the extent that, in the meantime, the
value of the securities repurchased had decreased or the value of the securities
lent had increased, the Portfolio could experience a loss. In all cases, Bankers
Trust must find the creditworthiness of the other party to the transaction
satisfactory. A repurchase agreement is considered a collateralized loan under
the 1940 Act.

INVESTMENT COMPANIES. With respect to certain countries in which capital markets
are either less developed or not easily accessed, investments by the Portfolio
may be made through investment in other registered investment companies that in
turn are authorized to invest in the securities of such countries. Investments
in other investment companies may also be made for other purposes, such as noted
herein under "Short-Term Instruments," and are limited in amount by the 1940
Act, will involve the indirect payment of a portion of the expenses, including
advisory fees, of such other investment companies and may result in a
duplication of fees and expenses.

FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS. Because the Portfolio buys and sells
securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and receives
interest, dividends and sale proceeds in currencies other than the U.S. dollar,
the Portfolio from time to time may enter into foreign currency exchange
transactions to convert to and from different foreign currencies and to convert
foreign currencies to and from the U.S. dollar. The Portfolio either enters into
these transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in
the foreign currency exchange market or uses forward contracts to purchase or
sell foreign currencies.

<PAGE>

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FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS. A forward foreign currency exchange
contract is an obligation by the Portfolio to purchase or sell a specific
currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date
of the contract. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts establish an
exchange rate at a future date. These contracts are transferable in the inter
bank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large
commercial banks) and their customers. A forward foreign currency exchange
contract generally has no deposit requirement and is traded at a net price
without commission. The Portfolio maintains with its custodian a segregated
account of high grade liquid assets in an amount at least equal to its
obligations under each forward foreign currency exchange contract. Neither spot
transactions nor forward foreign currency exchange contracts eliminate
fluctuations in the prices of the Portfolio's securities or in foreign exchange
rates, or prevent loss if the prices of these securities should decline.

The Portfolio may enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in an attempt
to protect against changes in foreign currency exchange rates between the trade
and settlement dates of specific securities transactions or changes in foreign
currency exchange rates that would adversely affect a portfolio position or an
anticipated investment position. Since consideration of the prospect for
currency parities will be incorporated into Bankers Trust's long-term investment
decisions, the Portfolio will not routinely enter into foreign currency hedging
transactions with respect to security transactions; however, Bankers Trust
believes that it is important to have the flexibility to enter into foreign
currency hedging transactions when it determines that the transactions would be
in the Portfolio's best interest. Although these transactions tend to minimize
the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the
same time they tend to limit any potential gain that might be realized should
the value of the hedged currency increase. The precise matching of the forward
contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be
possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will
change as a consequence of market movements in the value of such securities
between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures.
The projection of currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the
successful execution of a hedging strategy is highly uncertain.

OPTIONS ON FOREIGN CURRENCIES. The Portfolio may write covered put and call
options and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose
of protecting against declines in the dollar value of portfolio securities and
against increases in the dollar cost of securities to be acquired. The Portfolio
may use options on a foreign currency to cross-hedge, which involves writing or
purchasing options on one currency to hedge against changes in exchange rates
for a different, but related currency. As with other types of options, however,
the writing of an option on a foreign currency will constitute only a partial
hedge up to the amount of the premium received, and the Portfolio could be
required to purchase or sell a foreign currency at disadvantageous exchange
rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on foreign currency
may be used to hedge against fluctuations in exchange rates although, in the
event of exchange rate movements adverse to the Portfolio's position, it may
forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs. In
addition, the Portfolio may purchase call options on a foreign currency when the
Adviser anticipates that the currency will appreciate in value.

There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any
particular option, or at any particular time. If the Portfolio is unable to
effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has
written, the Portfolio will not be able to sell the underlying currency or
dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are
exercised. Similarly, if the Portfolio is unable to effect a closing sale
transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it would have to exercise
the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon
the purchase or sale of underlying currency. The Portfolio pays brokerage
commissions or spreads in connection with its options transactions.

As in the case of forward contracts, certain options on foreign currencies are
traded over-the-counter and involve liquidity and credit risks which may not be
present in the case of exchange-traded currency options. In some circumstances,
the Portfolio's ability to terminate over-the-counter options ("OTC Options")
may be more limited than with exchange-traded options. It is also possible that
broker-dealers participating in OTC Options transactions will not fulfill their
obligations. Provided that a dealer or institutional trading market in such
securities exists, these restricted securities are not covered by the
Portfolio's 15% limit on illiquid securities.

<PAGE>

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Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio, Bankers Trust
determines the liquidity of restricted securities and, through reports from
Bankers Trust, the Board will monitor trading activity in restricted securities.
With respect to options written with primary dealers in U.S. government
securities pursuant to an agreement requiring a closing purchase transaction at
a formula price, the amount of illiquid securities may be calculated with
reference to the repurchase formula.

OPTIONS ON STOCKS. The Portfolio may write and purchase put and call options on
stocks. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and
obligates the writer to sell, the underlying stock at the exercise price at
anytime during the option period. Similarly, a put option gives the purchaser of
the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying
stock at the exercise price at any time during the option period. A covered call
option, which is a call option with respect to the underlying Portfolio stock,
is sold by exposing the Portfolio during the term of the option to possible loss
of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying
stock or to possible continued holding of a stock which might otherwise have
been sold to protect against depreciation in the market price of the stock. A
covered put option sold by the Portfolio exposes the Portfolio during the term
of the option to a decline in price of the underlying stock. A put option sold
by the Portfolio is covered when, among other things, cash or liquid securities
are placed in a segregated account to fulfill the obligations undertaken.

To close out a position when writing covered options, the Portfolio may make a
"closing purchase transaction," which involves purchasing an option on the same
stock with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option which it
has previously written on the stock. The Portfolio will realize a profit or loss
for a closing purchase transaction if the amount paid to purchase an option is
less or more, as the case may be, than the amount received from the sale
thereof. To close out a position as a purchaser of an option, the Portfolio may
make a "closing sale transaction," which involves liquidating the Portfolio's
position by selling the option previously purchased.

The Portfolio intends to treat OTC Options purchased and the assets used to
"cover" OTC Options written as not readily marketable and therefore subject to
the limitations described in "Investment Restrictions" in the SAI.

OPTIONS ON FOREIGN STOCK INDICES. The Portfolio may purchase and write put and
call options on foreign stock indices listed on domestic and foreign stock
exchanges. The Portfolio may also purchase and write OTC Options on foreign
stock indices. These OTC Options would be subject to the same liquidity and
credit risks noted above with respect to OTC Options on foreign currencies. A
stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included
in the index.

OTC Options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial
institutions or other parties (collectively referred to as "Counter parties" and
individually referred to as a "Counterparty") through direct bilateral agreement
with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange listed options, which generally
have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all of the terms of an OTC
Option, including such terms as method of settlement, term exercise price,
premium, guaranties and security, are set by negotiation of the parties.

Unless the parties provide for it, no central clearing or guaranty function is
involved in an OTC Option. As a result, if a Counterparty fails to make or take
delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying an OTC Option
it has entered into with the Portfolio or fails to make a cash settlement
payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Portfolio will lose
any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the
transaction. Thus, Bankers Trust must assess the creditworthiness of each such
Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the Counterparty's credit
to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC Option will be met.

Options on stock indices are generally similar to options on stock except that
the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or
make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives
the holder the right to receive a cash "exercise settlement amount" equal to
(a)the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds
(in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value
of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed
"index multiplier." Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing
level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in
the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of
the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between
the closing price of the index

<PAGE>

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and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars or a foreign currency,
as the case may be, times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is
obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount.
The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by
entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or the option may expire
unexercised.

To the extent permitted by U.S. federal or state securities laws, the Portfolio
may invest in options on foreign stock indices in lieu of direct investment in
foreign securities. The Portfolio may also use foreign stock index options for
hedging purposes.

Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the
index rather than the price of a particular stock, whether the Portfolio will
realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index
depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market
generally or, in the case of certain indices, in an industry or market segment,
rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly,
successful use by the Portfolio of options on stock indices will be subject to
Bankers Trust's ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the
stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different
skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

FUTURES CONTRACTS ON FOREIGN STOCK INDICES. The Portfolio may enter into
contracts providing for the making and acceptance of a cash settlement based
upon changes in the value of an index of foreign securities ("Futures
Contracts"). This investment technique is designed only to hedge against
anticipated future change in general market prices which otherwise might either
adversely affect the value of securities held by the Portfolio or adversely
affect the prices of securities which are intended to be purchased at a later
date for the Portfolio. A Futures Contract may also be entered into to close out
or offset an existing futures position.

In general, each transaction in Futures Contracts involves the establishment of
a position which will move in a direction opposite to that of the investment
being hedged. If these hedging transactions are successful, the futures
positions taken for the Portfolio will rise in value by an amount which
approximately offsets the decline in value of the portion of the Portfolio's
investments that are being hedged. Should general market prices move in an
unexpected manner, the full anticipated benefits of Futures Contracts may not be
achieved or a loss maybe realized.

Although Futures Contracts would be entered into for hedging purposes only, such
transactions do involve certain risks. These risks could include a lack of
correlation between the Futures Contract and the foreign equity market being
hedged, a potential lack of liquidity in the secondary market and incorrect
assessments of market trends which may result in poorer overall performance than
if a Futures Contract had not been entered into.

Brokerage costs will be incurred and "margin" will be required to be posted and
maintained as a good-faith deposit against performance of obligations under
Futures Contracts written for the Portfolio. The Portfolio may not purchase or
sell a Futures Contract if immediately thereafter its margin deposits on its
outstanding Futures Contracts would exceed 5% of the market value of the
Portfolio's total assets.

OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. The Portfolio may invest in options on such
futures contracts for similar purposes.

All options that the Portfolio writes will be covered under applicable
requirements of the SEC.

There can be no assurance that the use of these portfolio strategies will be
successful.

ASSET COVERAGE. To assure that the Portfolio's use of futures and related
options, as well as when-issued and delayed-delivery securities and foreign
currency exchange transactions, are not used to achieve investment leverage, the
Portfolio will cover such transactions, as required under applicable
interpretations of the SEC, either by owning the underlying securities or by
segregating with the Portfolio's Custodian or futures commission merchant liquid
securities in an amount at all times equal to or exceeding the Portfolio's
commitment with respect to these instruments or contracts.

<PAGE>

BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
CLASS I

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PORTFOLIO
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY
130 Liberty Street
(One Bankers Trust Plaza)
New York, NY 10006

DISTRIBUTOR
EDGEWOOD SERVICES, INC.
Clearing Operations
P.O. Box 897
Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0897

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT BANKERS TRUST COMPANY 130 Liberty Street (One
Bankers Trust Plaza)
New York, NY 10006

INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
1100 Main Street, Suite 900
Kansas City, MO 64105

COUNSEL
WILLKIE FARR & GALLAGHER
153 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022

..........................

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representations other than those contained in the Trust's Prospectuses, its SAIs
or the Trust's official sales literature in connection with the offering of the
Trust's shares and, if given or made, such other information or representations
must not be relied on as having been authorized by the Trust. This Prospectus
does not constitute an offer in any state in which, or to any person to whom,
such offer may not lawfully be made.

..........................

Cusip 055924856
STA499300 (1/98)

(BULLET) BT INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS (BULLET)

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INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
CLASS II

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Seeks long-term capital appreciation primarily from foreign equity securities,
or other securities with equity characteristics.

PROSPECTUS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JANUARY 31, 1998

A Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") with the same date has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and is incorporated herein
by reference. You may request a copy of the SAI or a paper copy or this
prospectus, if you have received your prospectus electronically, free of charge
by calling the Fund's Service Agent at 1-800-368-4031. The SAI, material
incorporated by reference into this document, and other information regarding
the Trust is maintained electronically with the SEC at Internet Web site
(http://www.sec.gov).