AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS INC
485BPOS, 1998-03-30
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     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 1998

             1933 Act File No. 33-39242; 1940 Act File No. 811-6247
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT 
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933                                     _X__
                                                                     
         Pre-Effective Amendment No.____                             ____

         Post-Effective Amendment No._9__                            _X__

                                     and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE 
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940                                       _X__
                                                                     
         Amendment No._9__

                        (Check appropriate box or boxes)


                    American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
                  --------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

        American Century Tower, 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
        ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
        (Address of Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)


         Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:  816-531-5575


                              James E. Stowers, III
        American Century Tower, 4500 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
        ---------------------------------------------------------------- 
                    (Name and address of Agent for service)
 
           Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: April 1, 1998


It is proposed that this filing become effective:

_____  immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
__X__  on April 1, 1998 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
_____  60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) of Rule 485
_____  on [date] pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
_____  75 days afer filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
_____  on [date] pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

The Registrant has registered an indefinite number or amount of securities under
the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Rule 24f-2. The Rule 24f-2 notice for the
fiscal year ended November 30, 1997, was filed on January 23, 1998.
================================================================================
<PAGE>
================================================================================
                              CROSS REFERENCE SHEET

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

         N-1A Item No.              Location
         -------------              --------
PART A

Item 1. Cover Page                  Cover Page
Item 2. Synopsis                    Transaction and Operating
                                    Expense Table
Item 3. Condensed Financial         Financial Highlights
          Information
Item 4. General Description         Investment Policies of
          Registrant                the Funds; Risk Factors;
                                    Other Investment
                                    Practices, Their Characteristics
                                    and Risks; Performance
                                    Advertising; Distribution
                                    of Fund Shares; Further
                                    Information About
                                    American Century
Item 5. Management of the           Management
        Fund
Item 6. Capital Stock and           Further Information About
        Other Securities            American Century
Item 7. Purchase of Securities      How to Open An Account;
        Being Offered               How to Exchange From One
                                    Account to Another;
                                    Share Price; Distributions;
Item 8. Redemption                  How to Redeem Shares;
                                    Signature Guarantee
Item 9. Pending Legal               N/A
        Proceedings


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART B
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 10. Cover Page                 Cover Page
Item 11. Table of Contents          Table of Contents
Item 12. General Information        N/A
Item 13. Investment Objectives      Investment Objectives of
         and Policies               the Funds; Investment Restrictions;
                                    Forward Currency Exchange
                                    Contracts; An Explanation of
                                    Fixed Income Securities Ratings;
                                    Short Sales; Portfolio Lending;
                                    Portfolio Turnover
Item 14. Management of the          Officers and Directors;
         Registrant                 Management;
                                    Custodians
Item 15. Control Persons            Capital Stock
         and Principal
         Holders of Securities
Item 16. Investment Advisory        Management;
         and Other Services         Custodians
Item 17. Brokerage Allocation       Brokerage;
                                    Performance Advertising
Item 18. Capital Stock and          Capital Stock;
         Other Securities           Multiple Class Structure
Item 19. Purchase, Redemption       N/A
         and Pricing of
         Securities Being
         Offered
Item 20. Tax Status                 N/A
Item 21. Underwriters               N/A
Item 22. Calculation of Yield       Performance Advertising
         Quotations of Money
         Market Funds
Item 23. Financial Statements       Financial Statements

<PAGE>
                                   PROSPECTUS

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                                   TWENTIETH
                                    CENTURY
                                     GROUP

                             International Growth
                            International Discovery
                               Emerging Markets

INVESTOR CLASS



                         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                                FAMILY OF FUNDS

    American  Century  Investments  offers you nearly 70 fund  choices  covering
stocks, bonds, money markets,  specialty investments and blended portfolios.  To
help you find the funds that may meet your investment  needs,  American  Century
funds  have  been  divided  into  three  groups  based on  investment  style and
objectives. These groups, which appear below, are designed to help simplify your
fund decisions.

                        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Benham                American Century          Twentieth Century
         Group                      Group                      Group
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   MONEY MARKET FUNDS         ASSET ALLOCATION &           GROWTH FUNDS
 GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS          BALANCED FUNDS          INTERNATIONAL FUNDS
 DIVERSIFIED BOND FUNDS   CONSERVATIVE EQUITY FUNDS
  MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS         SPECIALTY FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         International Growth
                                                        International Discovery
                                                           Emerging Markets



   
                                  PROSPECTUS
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                    International Growth * International
                         Discovery * Emerging Markets
                                INVESTOR CLASS

                   AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.

    American  Century  World Mutual Funds,  Inc., is a part of American  Century
Investments,  a family of funds that  includes  nearly 70 no-load  mutual  funds
covering  a variety  of  investment  opportunities.  Three of the funds from our
Twentieth  Century  Group of  funds  are  described  in this  Prospectus.  Their
investment  objectives are listed on page 2 of this Prospectus.  The other funds
are described in separate prospectuses.

    The funds described in this Prospectus invest primarily in equity securities
of foreign  issuers.  Investment  in  securities  of foreign  issuers  typically
involves a greater degree of risk than investment in domestic securities. Please
read "Risk Factors," page 11.

    Through its Investor Class of shares,  American  Century offers  investors a
full  line  of  no-load  funds,  investments  that  have  no  sales  charges  or
commissions.

   
    This Prospectus  gives you information  about the funds that you should know
before investing. Please read this Prospectus carefully and retain it for future
reference.  Additional  information  is included in the  Statement of Additional
Information  dated April 1, 1998,  and filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.  It is incorporated  into this Prospectus by reference.  To obtain a
copy without charge, call or write:

                         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                      4500 Main Street * P.O. Box 419200
               Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6200 * 1-800-345-2021
                       International calls: 816-531-5575
                    Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
                  1-800-634-4113 * In Missouri: 816-444-3485
                          www.americancentury.com
    

    Additional  information,  including  this  Prospectus  and the  Statement of
Additional Information,  may be obtained by accessing the Web site maintained by
the SEC (www.sec.gov).

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


PROSPECTUS                                                                1


                      INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

 AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
 INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND

   
    The investment objective of International Growth is capital growth. The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities that are considered
by the  investment  manager to have  prospects for  appreciation.  The fund will
invest primarily in securities of issuers in developed markets. This fund has no
minimum investment requirements. However, if the value of the shares held in any
one fund account is less than $2,500 ($1,000 for UGMA/UTMA  accounts),  you must
establish an automatic  investment program of $50 or more per month in each such
account.  See "Automatic  Investment Plan," page 18 and "Redemption of Shares in
Low-Balance Accounts," page 21.
    

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY FUND

   
    The investment  objective of International  Discovery is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities of issuers  having
comparatively  smaller  market  capitalizations  (less  than U.S.  $1 billion in
market  capitalization or less than U.S. $500 million in public float). The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.  All such investments will be considered by the investment manager to
have  prospects  for  appreciation.  Due  to  the  risks  associated  with  such
investments,  an  investment  in this fund may be  considered  speculative.  The
minimum investment amount for this fund is $10,000.
    

    SHARES OF INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY  EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE  ARE  SUBJECT  TO A  REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED. This redemption fee is retained by the fund and is
intended to discourage  shareholders  from  exchanging or redeeming their shares
shortly after their purchase,  as well as minimize the impact such exchanges and
redemptions have on fund  performance  and, hence, on the other  shareholders of
the fund.

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
EMERGING MARKETS FUND

    The investment  objective of Emerging  Markets is capital  growth.  The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio  of  equity  securities  of  issuers  in
emerging market countries that are considered by the investment  manager to have
prospects for  appreciation.  Due to the risks associated with such investments,
an investment in this fund may be considered speculative. The minimum investment
amount for this fund is $10,000.

                There is no assurance that the funds will achieve
                     their respective investment objectives.

NO  PERSON  IS  AUTHORIZED  BY THE  FUNDS  TO GIVE ANY  INFORMATION  OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN OTHER PRINTED
OR WRITTEN MATERIAL ISSUED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE FUNDS, AND YOU SHOULD NOT RELY
ON ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION.


2     INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES                        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Investment Objectives of the Funds .......................................    2
 Transaction and Operating Expense Table ..................................    4
 Financial Highlights .....................................................    5

   
 INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS
 Investment Policies of the Funds .........................................    8
    International Growth ..................................................    8
    International Discovery ...............................................    8
    Emerging Markets ......................................................    9
    Policies Applicable to All Funds ......................................    9
 Risk Factors .............................................................   11
    Investing in Foreign Securities Generally .............................   11
    Investing in Smaller Companies ........................................   12
    Investing in Emerging Market Countries ................................   12
    Investing in Lower-Quality Debt Instruments ...........................   13
 Other Investment Practices, Their Characteristics
 and Risks ................................................................   13
    Forward Currency Exchange Contracts ...................................   13
    Indirect Foreign Investment ...........................................   14
    Sovereign Debt Obligations ............................................   14
    Portfolio Turnover ....................................................   14
    Repurchase Agreements .................................................   14
    Futures and Options ...................................................   14
    When-Issued Securities ................................................   15
    Short Sales ...........................................................   15
    Rule 144A Securities ..................................................   15
    Investments in Companies with
       Limited Operating History ..........................................   16
 Performance Advertising ..................................................   16
    

 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
American Century Investments ..............................................   17
 Investing in American Century ............................................   17
 How to Open an Account ...................................................   17
            By Mail .......................................................   17
            By Wire .......................................................   17
            By Exchange ...................................................   18
            In Person .....................................................   18
       Subsequent Investments .............................................   18
            By Mail .......................................................   18
            By Telephone ..................................................   18
            By Online Access ..............................................   18
            By Wire .......................................................   18
            In Person .....................................................   18
       Automatic Investment Plan ..........................................   18
  How to Exchange from One Account to Another .............................   19
            By Mail .......................................................   19
            By Telephone ..................................................   19
            By Online Access ..............................................   19
 How to Redeem Shares .....................................................   19
            By Mail .......................................................   20
            By Telephone ..................................................   20
            By Check-A-Month ..............................................   20
            Other Automatic Redemptions ...................................   20
       Redemption Proceeds ................................................   20
            By Check ......................................................   20
            By Wire and ACH ...............................................   20
       Special Requirements for Large Redemptions .........................   20
       Redemption of Shares in Low-Balance Accounts .......................   21
  Signature Guarantee .....................................................   21
  Special Shareholder Services ............................................   21
            Automated Information Line ....................................   22
            Online Account Access .........................................   22
            Open Order Service ............................................   22
            Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans ................................   22
  Important Policies Regarding Your Investments ...........................   22
  Reports to Shareholders .................................................   23
 Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans and
    Institutional Accounts ................................................   24

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
 Share Price ..............................................................   25
When Share Price Is Determined ............................................   25
    How Share Price Is Determined .........................................   25
    Where to Find Information About Share Price ...........................   26
 Distributions ............................................................   26
 Taxes ....................................................................   27
    Tax-Deferred Accounts .................................................   27
    Taxable Accounts ......................................................   27
 Management ...............................................................   28
    Investment Management .................................................   28
    Code of Ethics ........................................................   29
    Transfer and Administrative Services ..................................   30
 Distribution of Fund Shares ..............................................   30
 Further Information About American Century ...............................   30


PROSPECTUS                                           TABLE OF CONTENTS       3


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE

                                                                    International   International     Emerging
                                                                       Growth         Discovery        Markets
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:
<S>                                                                <C>              <C>              <C>
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases ............................    none            none            none
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested Dividends .................    none            none            none
Deferred Sales Load ................................................    none            none            none
Redemption Fee(1) ..................................................    none           none(2)          none
Exchange Fee .......................................................    none            none            none

   
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (as a percentage of net assets):
Management Fees(3) .................................................  1.37%(4)        1.68%(4)        2.00%(4)
12b-1 Fees .........................................................    none            none            none
Other Expenses(5) ..................................................    0.00%           0.00%           0.00%
Total Fund Operating Expenses(3) ...................................  1.37%(4)        1.68%(4)        2.00%(4)

EXAMPLE:
You would pay the following expenses on a               1 year           $14             $17             $20
$1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return and      3 years          43              53              62
redemption at the end of each time period(3):           5 years          75              91              107
                                                       10 years          164             197             231
- ----------
</TABLE>
(1)  Redemption proceeds sent by wire are subject to a $10 processing fee.
    

(2)  Shares of International  Discovery exchanged or redeemed within 180 days of
     their  purchase are subject to a redemption fee of 2.0% of the value of the
     shares exchanged or redeemed.  This redemption fee is retained by the fund.
     See "How to  Exchange  from One  Account to  Another,"  page 19 and "How to
     Redeem Shares," page 19.

   
(3)  Assumes, in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission  guidelines,
     that the  assets  of  International  Growth,  International  Discovery  and
     Emerging  Markets  remain  constant  at  $1,756,574,349,  $626,326,600  and
     $11,829,515, respectively, the assets of the funds as of November 30, 1997.
     A  portion  of the  management  fee may be paid by the  funds'  manager  to
     unaffiliated  third parties who provide  recordkeeping  and  administrative
     services that would  otherwise be performed by an affiliate of the manager.
     See "Management-Transfer and Administrative Services," page 30.
    

(4)  International Growth pays an annual management fee of 1.50% of the first $1
     billion of average net assets,  1.20% of the next $1 billion of average net
     assets,  and 1.10% of average  net assets  over $2  billion;  International
     Discovery pays an annual  management fee of 1.75% of the first $500 million
     of average net assets,  1.40% of the next $500 million  average net assets,
     and 1.20% of average net assets over $1 billion;  and Emerging Markets pays
     an  annual  management  fee  equal to 2.00% of the first  $500  million  of
     average net assets,  1.50% of the next $500  million of average net assets,
     and 1.25% of average next assets over $1 billion.

(5)  Other  expenses,  which  includes  the fees and expenses  (including  legal
     counsel  fees) of  those  directors  who are not  "interested  persons"  as
     defined in the Investment Company Act, were less than 0.01 of 1% of average
     net assets for the most recent fiscal year.

     The purpose of this table is to help you  understand  the various costs and
expenses  that you,  as a  shareholder,  will bear  directly  or  indirectly  in
connection  with an  investment  in the class of shares of the funds  offered by
this  Prospectus.  The  example  set forth  above  assumes  reinvestment  of all
dividends and  distributions  and uses a 5% annual rate of return as required by
SEC regulations.

     NEITHER  THE 5% RATE OF  RETURN  NOR THE  EXPENSES  SHOWN  ABOVE  SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED  INDICATIONS OF PAST OR FUTURE  RETURNS AND EXPENSES.  ACTUAL RETURNS
AND EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.

     The shares offered by this Prospectus are Investor Class shares and have no
up-front or deferred sales charges,  commissions, or 12b-1 fees. The funds offer
three other classes of shares, primarily to institutional  investors,  that have
different fee  structures  than the Investor  Class.  The  difference in the fee
structures  among the classes is the result of their separate  arrangements  for
shareholder  and  distribution  services and not the result of any difference in
amounts  charged  by  the  manager  for  core  investment   advisory   services.
Accordingly,  the core  investment  advisory  expenses  do not vary by class.  A
difference in fees will result in different  performance  for the other classes.
For additional  information about the various classes,  see "Further Information
About American Century," page 30.


4    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                             INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                                1997         1996          1995        1994         1993         1992       1991(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
<S>                                             <C>          <C>           <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period .......    $8.73        $7.51         $7.47       $7.34        $5.79        $5.33       $5.10
                                                -----        -----         -----       -----        -----        -----       -----

Income From Investment Operations
  Net Investment Income (Loss) .............     --        (0.01)(2)       0.01       (0.04)       (0.04)        0.06        0.01

  Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
  on Investment Transactions ...............    1.41         1.24          0.40        0.57         1.78         0.41        0.22
                                                -----        -----         -----       -----        -----        -----       -----
  Total From Investment Operations .........    1.41         1.23          0.41        0.53         1.74         0.47        0.23
                                                -----        -----         -----       -----        -----        -----       -----
Distributions
  From Net Investment Income ...............     --         (0.01)          --          --         (0.04)       (0.01)        --

  In Excess of Net Investment Income .......     --           --            --          --         (0.15)         --(3)       --

  From Net Realized Gains
  on Investment Transactions ...............   (0.92)         --          (0.37)      (0.40)         --           --          --
                                                -----        -----         -----       -----        -----        -----       -----
  Total Distributions ......................   (0.92)       (0.01)        (0.37)      (0.40)       (0.19)       (0.01)        --
                                                -----        -----         -----       -----        -----        -----       -----
Net Asset Value, End of Period .............    $9.22        $8.73         $7.51       $7.47        $7.34        $5.79       $5.33
                                                =====        =====         =====       =====        =====        =====       =====

  TOTAL RETURN(4) ..........................   18.12%       16.35%         5.93%       7.28%       31.04%        8.77%       4.51%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses
to Average Net Assets ......................  1.38%(5)     1.65%(5)        1.77%       1.84%        1.90%        1.91%     1.93%(6)

Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss)
to Average Net Assets ......................    0.04%       (0.07)%        0.25%      (0.53)%      (0.34)%       0.95%     0.26%(6)

Portfolio Turnover Rate ....................    163%         158%          169%        242%         255%         180%         84%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded ............   $0.0069      $0.0195       $0.0020      --(7)        --(7)        --(7)       --(7)

Net Assets, End of Period
(in thousands) ............................. $1,728,617   $1,342,608    $1,210,442   $1,316,642   $759,238     $215,346     $43,076
</TABLE>
- ----------
(1)  May 9, 1991 (inception) through November 30, 1991.

(2)  Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3)  Amount was less than $0.01 per share.

(4)  Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends  and  capital  gains
     distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
     annualized.

(5)  The  manager  had  voluntarily  waived  a  portion  of its  management  fee
     effective  August  1,  1996  through  July  31,  1997.  In  absence  of the
     management  fee  waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses  to average net
     assets  would have been 1.56% and 1.76% for the years  ended  November  30,
     1997 and November 30, 1996, respectively.

(6)  Annualized.

(7)  Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity security traded
     was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.


PROSPECTUS                                        FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS       5

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                            INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                                           1997               1996              1995           1994(1)

PER-SHARE DATA
<S>                                                        <C>                <C>               <C>             <C>  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ................      $7.60              $5.70             $5.39           $5.00
                                                           -----              -----             -----           -----

Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Income (Loss) .....................     (0.03)            (0.02)(2)           0.03           (0.02)

   Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
   on Investment Transactions .......................      1.31               1.95              0.28            0.41
                                                           -----              -----             -----           -----
   Total From Investment Operations .................      1.28               1.93              0.31            0.39
                                                           -----              -----             -----           -----
Distributions
   From Net Investment Income .......................     (0.02)             (0.01)              --              --

   In Excess of Net Investment Income ...............       --               (0.02)              --              --

   From Net Realized Gains
   on Investment Transactions .......................     (0.32)               --                --              --
                                                           -----              -----             -----           -----
   Total Distributions ..............................     (0.34)             (0.03)              --              --
                                                           -----              -----             -----           -----
Net Asset Value, End of Period ......................      $8.54              $7.60             $5.70           $5.39
                                                           =====              =====             =====           =====

   TOTAL RETURN(3) ..................................     17.76%             34.06%             5.75%           7.80%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets ...    1.70%(4)           1.88%(4)            2.00%         2.00%(5)

Ratio of Net Investment Income
(Loss) to Average Net Assets ........................     (0.37)%            (0.31)%            0.27%        (0.48)%(5)

Portfolio Turnover Rate .............................      146%               130%              168%             56%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded .....................     $0.0054            $0.0054           $0.0040          --(6)

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ............    $626,327           $377,128          $114,579        $111,202
</TABLE>
- ----------
(1)  April 1, 1994 (inception) through November 30, 1994.

(2)  Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3)  Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends  and  capital  gains
     distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
     annualized.

(4)  The  manager  had  voluntarily  waived  a  portion  of its  management  fee
     effective  August  1,  1996  through  July  31,  1997.  In  absence  of the
     management  fee  waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses  to average net
     assets  would have been 1.87% and 1.99% for the years  ended  November  30,
     1997 and November 30,1996, respectively.

(5)  Annualized.

(6)  Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity security traded
     was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.


6      FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                               EMERGING MARKETS

  The Financial  Highlights  for the period ended  November 30, 1997,  have been
audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of  Additional  Information.  The annual  report  contains  additional
performance  information  and will be made  available  upon  request and without
charge.  The  information  presented is for a share  outstanding  throughout the
period ended November 30.

                                                                      1997(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ..............................    $5.00
                                                                       -----

Loss From Investment Operations
 Net Investment Loss(2) ...........................................   (0.01)

 Net Realized and Unrealized Loss on Investment Transactions ......   (0.84)
                                                                      ----- 

 Total From Investment Operations .................................   (0.85)
                                                                      ----- 

Net Asset Value, End of Period ....................................    $4.15
                                                                       =====

 Total Return(3) ..................................................  (17.00)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets .................  2.00%(4)

Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets ................ (0.74)%(4)

Portfolio Turnover Rate ...........................................     36%

Average Commission Paid per Share of Equity Security Traded .......   $0.0012

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ..........................   $11,830
- ----------
(1)  September 30, 1997 (inception) through November 30, 1997.

(2)  Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3)  Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends  and  capital  gains
     distributions, if any. Total returns are not annualized.

(4)  Annualized.
    

PROSPECTUS                                          FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS       7


                        INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS

 INVESTMENT POLICIES OF THE FUNDS

   
    The funds have adopted certain investment restrictions that are set forth in
the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Those  restrictions,  as well as the
investment objectives of the funds identified on page 2 of this Prospectus,  and
any other investment  policies designated as "fundamental" in this Prospectus or
in  the  Statement  of  Additional   Information,   cannot  be  changed  without
shareholder approval.  The funds have implemented additional investment policies
and  practices  to guide their  activities  in the  pursuit of their  respective
investment  objectives.  These  policies  and  practices,  which  are  described
throughout this Prospectus,  are not designated as fundamental  policies and may
be changed without shareholder approval.
    

    YOU SHOULD READ AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION UNDER "RISK FACTORS,"
PAGE 11, BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS.

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

   
    The investment objective of the International Growth Fund is capital growth.
The fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in
securities  of foreign  issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical
standards  of selection  (relating  primarily  to  acceleration  of earnings and
revenues) and have, in the opinion of the manager,  potential for  appreciation.
The fund will invest  primarily in issuers in developed  markets.  The fund will
invest primarily in equity securities (defined to include equity equivalents) of
such  issuers  and will  attempt  to stay  fully  invested  in such  securities,
regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.
    

    Although the primary investment of the fund will be equity  securities,  the
fund  may  also  invest  in  other  types  of  securities  consistent  with  the
accomplishment  of the fund's  objectives.  When the manager  believes  that the
total  return  potential  of other  securities  equals or exceeds the  potential
return  of  equity  securities,  the fund  may  invest  up to 35% in such  other
securities.

    The  other  securities  the fund may  invest  in are  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their  agencies.  The fund  will  limit  its  purchases  of debt  securities  to
investment-grade  obligations.  For  long-term  debt  obligations  this includes
securities that are rated Baa or better by Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc. or
BBB or  better  by  Standard  & Poor's  Corporation,  or that are not  rated but
considered  by the manager to be of  equivalent  quality.  According to Moody's,
bonds rated Baa are medium-grade and possess some speculative characteristics. A
BBB rating by S&P indicates S&P's belief that a security exhibits a satisfactory
degree of safety and capacity for repayment,  but is more  vulnerable to adverse
economic   conditions   or  changing   circumstances   than  is  the  case  with
higher-quality  debt securities.  See "An Explanation of Fixed Income Securities
Ratings" in the Statement of Additional Information.

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

    The  investment  objective of the  International  Discovery  Fund is capital
growth.  The fund will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing
primarily in an  internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities of
issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical  standards of selection
(relating  primarily to  acceleration  of earnings and revenues).  The fund will
invest its assets  primarily in equity  securities  of smaller  foreign  issuers
(those issuers having,  at the time of investment,  a market  capitalization  of
less than U.S. $1 billion or a public float of less than U.S. $500 million). The
"public  float" of an issuer is defined  as the  aggregate  market  value of the
issuer's  outstanding  securities held by non-affiliates of the issuer. The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.

    DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGY,
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE  FOR ALL  INVESTORS.  See "Risk
Factors," page 11.

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,  governments and governmental entities, as well
as  corporations,  partnerships  and other business  organizations.  The manager
believes that common stocks and other equity and equity equivalent securities


8    INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS               AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


ordinarily  offer the  greatest  potential  for  capital  appreciation  and will
constitute the majority of the fund's investments. The fund may invest, however,
in any security the manager believes has the potential for capital appreciation.
The other  securities  the fund may  invest  in  include  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their agencies.  The fund will attempt to stay fully invested  regardless of the
movement of stock and bond prices generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below-investment-grade  fixed income  securities.  See "An  Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

   
    To enhance the fund's  liquidity,  at least 50% of the fund's assets will be
invested in developed market countries at all times.  However, the percentage of
the assets of the fund invested in developed and emerging  markets will vary as,
in the opinion of the manager,  market conditions  warrant.  No more than 15% of
the fund's assets may be invested in illiquid investments at any time.
    

EMERGING MARKETS

    The investment objective of the Emerging Markets Fund is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities  that meet certain
fundamental  and  technical   standards  of  selection  (relating  primarily  to
acceleration  of  earnings  and  revenues).  The fund  will  invest  its  assets
primarily  in the  securities  of  issuers in  emerging  market  countries.  The
securities  in which the fund may  invest  include  not only the  securities  of
issuers  located or principally  traded in emerging market  countries,  but also
include the  securities of issuers  which derive a significant  portion of their
business from emerging market countries. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH  INVESTING  IN  EMERGING  MARKETS,  AN  INVESTMENT  IN THE  FUND MAY NOT BE
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL INVESTORS. See "Risk Factors," page 11.

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,  governments and governmental entities, as well
as  corporations,  partnerships  and other business  organizations.  The manager
believes  that common stocks and other equity and equity  equivalent  securities
ordinarily  offer the  greatest  potential  for  capital  appreciation  and will
constitute the majority of the fund's investments. The fund may invest, however,
in any security the manager believes has the potential for capital appreciation.
The other  securities  the fund may  invest  in  include  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their agencies.  The fund will attempt to stay fully invested  regardless of the
movement of stock and bond prices generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below-investment-grade  fixed income  securities.  See "An  Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

POLICIES APPLICABLE TO ALL FUNDS

    Under normal conditions, each fund will invest at least 65% of its assets in
equity and equity equivalent securities of issuers from at least three countries
outside of the United States.  While  securities of U.S. issuers may be included
in the portfolio  from time to time, it is the primary  intent of the manager to
diversify  investments  in a fund across a broad range of foreign  issuers.  The
manager  defines  "foreign  issuer" as an issuer of securities that is domiciled
outside  the  United  States,  derives  at least 50% of its total  revenue  from
production or sales outside the United States, or whose principal trading market
is outside the United States.

    The  funds  may  make  foreign   investments   either  directly  in  foreign
securities, or indirectly by


PROSPECTUS                                  INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS    9


purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares or similar instruments (DRs)
for foreign  securities.  DRs are  securities  that are listed on  exchanges  or
quoted in  over-the-counter  markets  in one  country  but  represent  shares of
issuers domiciled in another country.  The funds may also purchase securities of
such issuers in foreign markets,  either on foreign  securities  exchanges or in
the over-the-counter markets.

    The funds may also invest in other equity securities and equity equivalents.
Other equity securities and equity  equivalents  include  securities that permit
the funds to receive an equity interest in an issuer, the opportunity to acquire
an equity  interest in an issuer,  or the opportunity to receive a return on its
investment  that  permits  the fund to benefit  from the growth over time in the
equity of an issuer.  Examples of other equity securities and equity equivalents
are  preferred   stock,   convertible   preferred  stock  and  convertible  debt
securities. Equity equivalents may also include securities whose value or return
is derived from the value or return of a different  security.  An example of one
type of  derivative  security  in which the funds might  invest is a  depositary
receipt.

    Notwithstanding  the  funds'  respective  investment  objectives  of capital
growth,  under  exceptional  market  or  economic  conditions,   each  fund  may
temporarily  invest  all or a  substantial  portion  of its  assets  in  cash or
investment-grade  short-term securities  (denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign
currencies).

    To the extent a fund assumes a defensive  position,  it will not be pursuing
its investment objective of capital growth.

    In addition to other  factors that will affect  their value,  the value of a
fund's investments in fixed income securities will change as prevailing interest
rates change.  In general,  the prices of such  securities  vary  inversely with
interest rates. As prevailing interest rates fall, the prices of bonds and other
securities  that trade on a yield basis rise.  When  prevailing  interest  rates
rise, bond prices generally fall. These changes in value may, depending upon the
particular amount and type of fixed income securities holdings of a fund, impact
the net asset value of that fund's shares.  See "How Share Price Is Determined,"
page 25.

    In order to  achieve  maximum  investment  flexibility,  the funds  have not
established   geographic   limits   on   asset   distribution,   on   either   a
country-by-country or region-by-region basis. The manager expects to invest both
in issuers in developed markets (such as Germany,  the United Kingdom and Japan)
and in issuers in emerging market countries.

    The funds consider "emerging market countries" to include all countries that
are  generally  considered  to  be  developing  or  emerging  countries  by  the
International Bank for  Reconstruction and Development  (commonly referred to as
the World Bank) and the  International  Finance  Corporation  (IFC),  as well as
countries that are  classified by the United  Nations as developing.  Currently,
the  countries  not  included in this  category are the United  States,  Canada,
Japan, the United Kingdom,  Germany,  Austria,  France, Italy,  Ireland,  Spain,
Belgium,  the  Netherlands,   Switzerland,  Sweden,  Finland,  Norway,  Denmark,
Australia and New Zealand. In addition, as used in this Prospectus,  "securities
of issuers in emerging  market  countries"  means (i)  securities of issuers the
principal  securities  trading market for which is an emerging  market  country,
(ii) securities,  regardless of where traded, of issuers that derive 50% or more
of their total revenue from either goods or services produced in emerging market
countries or sales made in emerging  market  countries,  or (iii)  securities of
issuers having their principal place of business or principal office in emerging
market countries.

    The principal  criteria for inclusion of a security in a fund's portfolio is
its ability to meet the fundamental and technical standards of selection and, in
the opinion of the manager, to achieve better-than-average  appreciation. If, in
the opinion of the manager,  a particular  security  satisfies  these  principal
criteria,  the security may be included in the fund's  portfolio,  regardless of
the location of the issuer or the  percentage of the fund's  investments  in the
issuer's country (subject to the investment  policies of the particular fund) or
region.

    At the same time, however, the manager recognizes that both the selection of
a fund's  individual  securities  and the allocation of the  portfolio's  assets
across  different  countries  and regions are  important  factors in managing an
international  portfolio.  For this  reason,  the manager  will also  consider a
number of other factors in making investment selections including: the prospects
for relative economic growth among countries or regions,  economic and political
conditions,  expected  inflation rates,  currency exchange  fluctuations and tax
considerations.


10      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS            AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


RISK FACTORS

INVESTING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES GENERALLY

    Investing in securities of foreign issuers generally  involves greater risks
than investing in the securities of domestic  companies.  As with any investment
in  securities,  the value of an investment in the funds can decrease as well as
increase,  depending  upon a variety of factors  which may affect the values and
income generated by the funds' portfolio securities.  Potential investors should
carefully consider the following factors:

    Currency Risk. The value of the foreign investments held by the funds may be
significantly  affected by changes in currency  exchange rates. The dollar value
of a foreign  security  generally  decreases  when the value of the dollar rises
against the foreign  currency in which the security is denominated  and tends to
increase when the value of the dollar falls against such currency.  In addition,
the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other  expenses  incurred
in converting  between various  currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign
securities and by currency restrictions,  exchange control regulation,  currency
devaluations and political developments.

    Political and Economic Risk. The economies of many of the countries in which
the funds invest are not as  developed  as the economy of the United  States and
may  be  subject  to  significantly   different  forces.   Political  or  social
instability,  expropriation,  nationalization,  or  confiscatory  taxation,  and
limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, could also adversely affect
the value of investments.  Further,  the funds may encounter  difficulties or be
unable to enforce ownership rights, pursue legal remedies or obtain judgments in
foreign courts.

    Regulatory  Risk.  Foreign  companies  are  generally  not  subject  to  the
regulatory  controls  imposed on U.S.  issuers  and, in  general,  there is less
publicly available  information about foreign securities than is available about
domestic  securities.   Many  foreign  companies  are  not  subject  to  uniform
accounting,   auditing  and  financial   reporting   standards,   practices  and
requirements  comparable to those applicable to domestic companies.  Income from
foreign securities owned by the funds may be reduced by a withholding tax at the
source which would reduce dividend income payable to shareholders.  See "Taxes,"
page 27.

    Market and Trading Risk.  Brokerage  commission rates in foreign  countries,
which are generally  fixed rather than subject to  negotiation  as in the United
States, are likely to be higher. The securities markets in many of the countries
in which the funds invest will have  substantially  less trading volume than the
principal U.S. markets.  As a result,  the securities of some companies in these
countries may be less liquid and more volatile than comparable U.S.  securities.
Furthermore,  one securities  broker may represent all or a significant  part of
the trading  volume in a particular  country,  resulting in higher trading costs
and decreased liquidity due to a lack of alternative trading partners.  There is
generally less government regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges,
brokers  and  issuers  which  may  make  it  difficult  to  enforce  contractual
obligations.

    Clearance  and  Settlement  Risk.   Foreign  securities  markets  also  have
different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have
been times  when  settlements  have been  unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities  transactions,  making it  difficult  to conduct  such  transactions.
Delays in clearance and settlement could result in temporary periods when assets
of the funds are  uninvested and no return is earned  thereon.  The inability of
the funds to make intended  security  purchases due to clearance and  settlement
problems  could  cause the funds to miss  attractive  investment  opportunities.
Inability to dispose of portfolio  securities  due to clearance  and  settlement
problems  could result either in losses to the funds due to subsequent  declines
in value of the  portfolio  security or, if the fund has entered into a contract
to sell the security, liability to the purchaser.

   
    Ownership  Risk.  Evidence of securities  ownership may be uncertain in many
foreign countries. In many of these countries,  the most notable of which is the
Russian Federation,  the ultimate evidence of securities  ownership is the share
register held by the issuing company or its registrar.  While some companies may
issue share  certificates  or provide  extracts of the company's share register,
these  are  not  negotiable  instruments  and  are  not  effective  evidence  of
securities  ownership.  In an ownership dispute, the company's share register is
controlling.  As a result,  there is a risk that a fund's trade details could be
incorrectly or  fraudulently  entered on the issuer's share register at the time
of the transaction, or that a fund's
    


PROSPECTUS                                 INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS    11


   
ownership  position could thereafter be altered or deleted entirely resulting in
a loss to the fund.  While  the funds  intend  to  invest  directly  in  Russian
companies which utilize an independent registrar, there can be no assurance that
such investments will not result in a loss to the funds.
    

    As a result,  these funds are  intended  for  aggressive  investors  seeking
significant  gains through  investments in foreign  securities.  Those investors
must be willing and able to accept the  significantly  greater risks  associated
with the  investment  strategy that the funds will pursue.  An investment in the
funds  should  not  be  considered  a  complete  investment  program  and is not
appropriate for individuals with limited investment  resources or who are unable
to tolerate fluctuations in the value of their investment.

INVESTING IN SMALLER COMPANIES

    International  Discovery  will invest  primarily in  securities of companies
having, at the time of investment,  a market capitalization of less than U.S. $1
billion  or a  public  float of less  than  U.S.  $500  million.  These  smaller
companies may present greater  opportunities for capital  appreciation,  but may
also involve greater risks than large,  mature issuers.  Such companies may have
limited product lines, markets or financial resources,  and their securities may
trade less  frequently  and in more limited volume than the securities of larger
companies. In addition,  available information regarding these smaller companies
may be less available and, when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.  The
securities of such companies may also be more likely to be delisted from trading
on their  primary  domestic  exchange.  As a result,  the  securities of smaller
companies may experience  significantly more price volatility and less liquidity
than securities of larger  companies,  and this volatility and limited liquidity
may be reflected in the net asset value of the fund.

INVESTING IN EMERGING MARKET COUNTRIES

    Each of the funds  included in this  Prospectus  may invest in securities of
issuers in emerging market  countries.  Investing in emerging  market  countries
involves exposure to significantly  higher risk than investing in countries with
developed markets.  Emerging market countries may have economic  structures that
are generally less diverse and mature and political systems that can be expected
to be less stable than those of developed countries.

    Securities  prices in emerging market  countries can be  significantly  more
volatile than in developed  countries,  reflecting the greater  uncertainties of
investing in lesser  developed  markets and economies.  In particular,  emerging
market countries may have relatively unstable  governments,  and may present the
risk of nationalization of businesses, expropriation,  confiscatory taxation or,
in certain instances,  reversion to closed market,  centrally planned economies.
Such countries may also have  restrictions on foreign  ownership or prohibitions
on the  repatriation of assets,  and may have less protection of property rights
than developed countries.

    The economies of emerging  market  countries may be  predominantly  based on
only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities or on
international aid or development assistance, may be highly vulnerable to changes
in local or global  trade  conditions,  and may suffer from extreme and volatile
debt burdens or inflation  rates.  In addition,  securities  markets in emerging
market  countries  may trade a small number of  securities  and may be unable to
respond effectively to increases in trading volume,  potentially  resulting in a
lack of liquidity and greater  volatility  in the price of securities  traded on
those markets.

    The  funds may not  always  purchase  securities  on the  principal  market.
Depositary receipts, depositary shares, or other equity equivalents (DRs) may be
purchased if considered to be more  attractive  than the underlying  securities.
DRs are typically issued by a bank or trust company  evidencing  ownership of an
underlying foreign security. In emerging markets countries, the funds may invest
in DRs which are structured by a bank or trust company  without the  sponsorship
of the underlying foreign issuer. In addition to the risks of foreign investment
applicable  to the  underlying  securities,  such  unsponsored  DRs may  also be
subject to the risks  that the  foreign  issuer may not be obliged to  cooperate
with the bank,  may not provide  financial or other  information to the bank, or
may dispute or refuse to recognize  the ownership of the  underlying  securities
which may result in a loss of the fund's investment.


12      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


INVESTING IN LOWER-QUALITY DEBT INSTRUMENTS

    There are no credit,  maturity  or  investment  amount  restrictions  on the
bonds,   corporate  debt  securities,   and  government   obligations  in  which
International  Discovery  and  Emerging  Markets  may invest.  Debt  securities,
especially those in emerging market countries,  may be of poor quality,  unrated
and speculative in nature.  Debt  securities  rated lower than Baa by Moody's or
BBB by S&P or  their  equivalent,  sometimes  referred  to as  junk  bonds,  are
considered by many to be predominately speculative. See "An Explanation of Fixed
Income Securities Ratings" in the Statement of Additional  Information.  Changes
in  economic  conditions  or other  circumstances  are more  likely to lead to a
weakened  capacity to make  principal and interest  payments on such  securities
than is the case  with  higher-quality  debt  securities.  Regardless  of rating
levels, all debt securities  considered for purchase by the fund are analyzed by
the manager to determine,  to the extent reasonably  possible,  that the planned
investment is sound given the investment objective of the fund.

OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES, THEIR
CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS

   
    For additional information,  see "Additional Investment Restrictions" in the
Statement of Additional Information.
    

FORWARD CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

   
    Some of the  foreign  securities  held by the  funds may be  denominated  in
foreign  currencies.  Other  securities,  such as  depositary  receipts,  may be
denominated  in  U.S.  dollars,  but  have a  value  that  is  dependent  on the
performance  of a  foreign  security,  as  valued  in the  currency  of its home
country. As a result, the value of a fund's portfolio may be affected by changes
in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar, as well as
by changes in the market values of the securities themselves. The performance of
foreign  currencies  relative to the U.S.  dollar may be a factor in the overall
performance of a fund.

    To protect against adverse  movements in exchange rates between  currencies,
the funds may, for hedging purposes only,  enter into forward currency  exchange
contracts.  A forward currency exchange contract  obligates the fund to purchase
or sell a specific currency at a future date at a specific price.
    

    A fund may elect to enter into a forward  currency  exchange  contract  with
respect to a specific  purchase  or sale of a security,  or with  respect to the
fund's portfolio positions generally.

   
    By entering into a forward  currency  exchange  contract with respect to the
specific  purchase or sale of a security  denominated in a foreign  currency,  a
fund can "lock in" an exchange rate between the trade and  settlement  dates for
that purchase or sale.  This practice is sometimes  referred to as  "transaction
hedging." Each fund may enter into transaction hedging contracts with respect to
all or a substantial portion of its foreign securities trades.

    When the manager  believes  that a particular  currency may decline in value
compared to the U.S.  dollar,  a fund may enter into forward  currency  exchange
contracts  to sell the value of some or all of the fund's  portfolio  securities
either  denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.  This practice
is  sometimes  referred to as  "portfolio  hedging." A fund may not enter into a
portfolio  hedging  transaction where it would be obligated to deliver an amount
of foreign currency in excess of the aggregate value of its portfolio securities
or other assets denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.

    Each  fund  will  make  use  of  portfolio  hedging  to  the  extent  deemed
appropriate by the manager.  However,  it is anticipated  that a fund will enter
into portfolio hedges much less frequently than transaction hedges.

    If a fund enters into a forward currency exchange  contract,  the fund, when
required,  will  instruct  its  custodian  bank  to  segregate  cash  or  liquid
high-grade securities in a separate account in an amount sufficient to cover its
obligation under the contract.  Those assets will be valued at market daily, and
if  the  value  of  the  segregated  securities  declines,  additional  cash  or
securities  will be added so that the value of the  account is not less than the
amount of the fund's commitment. At any given time, no more than 10% of a fund's
assets will be committed to a segregated  account in connection  with  portfolio
hedging transactions.

    Predicting the relative future values of currencies is very  difficult,  and
there is no  assurance  that any  attempt  to  protect  a fund  against  adverse
currency  movements through the use of forward currency exchange  contracts will
be successful. In addition, the use of forward currency exchange contracts tends
to
    


PROSPECTUS                          INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS           13


   
limit the  potential  gains that  might  result  from a  positive  change in the
relationship between the foreign currency and the U.S. dollar.
    

INDIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT

    Subject to certain  restrictions  contained in the  Investment  Company Act,
each  fund may  invest  up to 10% of its  assets in  certain  foreign  countries
indirectly  through  investment  funds  and  registered   investment   companies
authorized  to invest in those  countries.  If the  funds  invest in  investment
companies,  the funds will bear their proportionate shares of the costs incurred
by such companies, including investment advisory fees, if any.

SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS

    The funds may purchase  sovereign debt  instruments  issued or guaranteed by
foreign  governments  or  their  agencies,  including  debt of  emerging  market
countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other
types of debt instruments such as loans or loan  participations.  Sovereign debt
of emerging market countries may involve a high degree of risk and may present a
risk of default or renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

   
    The  portfolio  turnover  rates of the  funds  are  shown  in the  financial
information of this Prospectus.
    

    Investment  decisions  to  purchase  and sell  securities  are  based on the
anticipated contribution of the security in question to a fund's objectives. The
manager  believes  that the rate of  portfolio  turnover is  irrelevant  when it
determines a change is in order to achieve those  objectives  and,  accordingly,
the annual portfolio turnover rate cannot be anticipated.

   
    The portfolio  turnover of a fund may be higher than other mutual funds with
similar investment  objectives.  Higher turnover would generate  correspondingly
greater  brokerage  commissions  that the funds pay directly.  Higher  portfolio
turnover may also increase the  likelihood of realized  capital  gains,  if any,
distributed by the fund. See" Taxes," page 27.
    

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

   
    Each fund may invest in repurchase agreements when such transactions present
an attractive  short-term return on cash that is not otherwise  committed to the
purchase of securities pursuant to the investment policies of that fund.

    A  repurchase  agreement  occurs  when,  at the time the fund  purchases  an
interest-bearing  obligation,  the seller (a bank or a broker-dealer  registered
under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934)  agrees  to  repurchase  it on a
specified  date in the future at an  agreed-upon  price.  The  repurchase  price
reflects  an  agreed-upon  interest  rate  during the time the  fund's  money is
invested in the security.

    Since  the  security  purchased  constitutes  security  for  the  repurchase
obligation,  a repurchase  agreement can be considered a loan  collateralized by
the security purchased.  The fund's risk is the ability of the seller to pay the
agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the
fund may incur costs in  disposing  of the  collateral,  which would  reduce the
amount realized  thereon.  If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws,
the  disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited.  To the extent the
value of the security decreases, the fund could experience a loss.

    The funds will limit repurchase agreement  transactions to securities issued
by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities,  and will enter into
such  transactions  only with those banks and securities  dealers who are deemed
creditworthy pursuant to criteria adopted by the funds' Board of Directors.

FUTURES AND OPTIONS

    The funds may invest in financial futures  contracts and options thereon.  A
financial  futures  contract  is an  agreement  to take or  make  delivery  of a
financial  asset or an amount of cash, as specified in the applicable  contract,
at some time in the future.  The value of the asset or cash to be  delivered  at
the end of the contract period is calculated  based upon the difference in value
between  the  making of the  contract  and the end of the  contract  period of a
financial index, indicator or security underlying the futures contract.

    Rather than  actually  purchasing a financial  asset (e.g.,  a long or short
term treasury  security) or all of the securities  contained in a specific index
(e.g., the S&P 500), the manager may choose to purchase a futures contract which
reflects the value of such securities or index. For example,  an S&P 500 futures
contract  reflects the value of the  underlying  companies that comprise the S&P
500 Composite Stock Price Index. If the aggregate market value of the index
    


14      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


securities  increases  or  decreases  during the  contract  period of an S&P 500
futures contract, the amount of cash to be paid to the contractholder at the end
of the period  would  correspondingly  increase or  decrease.  As a result,  the
manager is able to expose to the  market  cash that is held by the funds to meet
anticipated redemptions or for future investment opportunities.  Because futures
contracts  generally settle more quickly than their underlying  securities,  the
manager believes that the use of futures and options thereon allows the funds to
be fully invested while maintaining the needed liquidity.

    The funds will not  purchase  leveraged  futures.  When a fund enters into a
futures  contract,  it  must  make  a  deposit  of  cash  or  high-quality  debt
securities,  known as "initial  margin," as partial security for its performance
under the  contract.  As the value of the  contract  fluctuates,  a party to the
contract may be required to make additional margin payments, known as "variation
margin," to cover a portion of such  fluctuation.  A fund will also deposit in a
segregated  account with its custodian bank cash or high-quality debt securities
in an amount equal to the fund's payment  obligation under the futures contract,
less any initial or variation  margin.  For options sold, a fund will  segregate
cash or  high-quality  debt  securities  equal to the  value  of the  securities
underlying the option unless the option is otherwise covered.

WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES

   
    Each fund may  purchase  new issues of  securities  on a  when-issued  basis
without limit when, in the opinion of the manager,  such  purchases will further
the investment  objectives of the fund.  The price of when-issued  securities is
established  at the time the  commitment  to  purchase  is  made.  In  developed
markets,  delivery of and payment for these securities  typically occur 15 to 45
days after the commitment to purchase. In emerging markets, delivery and payment
may take significantly longer.
    

    Market rates of interest on debt  securities  at the time of delivery may be
higher  or  lower  than  those  contracted  for  on  the  when-issued  security.
Accordingly,  the value of such  security may decline  prior to delivery,  which
could result in a loss to the fund. A separate  account for each fund consisting
of cash or  high-quality  liquid debt  securities in an amount at least equal to
the  when-issued  commitments  will  be  established  and  maintained  with  the
custodian. No income will accrue to the fund prior to delivery.

SHORT SALES

    A fund may engage in short sales if, at the time of the short sale, the fund
owns or has the right to acquire securities equivalent in kind and amount to the
securities being sold short. Such  transactions  allow the fund to hedge against
price fluctuations by locking in a sale price for securities it does not wish to
sell immediately.

    A fund may make a short sale when it wants to sell the security it owns at a
current  attractive  price, but also wishes to defer recognition of gain or loss
for federal  income tax purposes and for purposes of  satisfying  certain  tests
applicable to regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code and
Regulations.

RULE 144A SECURITIES

    The funds may, from time to time,  purchase Rule 144A  securities  when they
present  attractive  investment  opportunities  that  otherwise  meet the funds'
criteria for selection.  Rule 144A  securities are securities that are privately
placed with and traded among qualified  institutional  investors rather than the
general  public.  Although  Rule  144A  securities  are  considered  "restricted
securities," they are not necessarily illiquid.

    With respect to securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A, the staff of
the SEC has taken the  position  that the  liquidity of such  securities  in the
portfolio of a fund offering redeemable securities is a question of fact for the
Board  of  Directors  to  determine,  such  determination  to be  based  upon  a
consideration  of the readily  available  trading  markets and the review of any
contractual  restrictions.  The staff also  acknowledges  that,  while the Board
retains ultimate  responsibility,  it may delegate this function to the manager.
Accordingly, the Board has established guidelines and procedures for determining
the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and has delegated the day-to-day  function
of determining the liquidity of Rule 144A  securities to the manager.  The Board
retains the  responsibility to monitor the  implementation of the guidelines and
procedures it has adopted.


PROSPECTUS                               INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS     15


    Since the  secondary  market  for such  securities  is  limited  to  certain
qualified  institutional  investors,  the  liquidity of such  securities  may be
limited accordingly and a fund may, from time to time, hold a Rule 144A security
that is illiquid. In such an event, the fund's manager will consider appropriate
remedies to minimize  the effect on such  fund's  liquidity.  No fund may invest
more than 15% of its assets in illiquid  securities  (securities that may not be
sold within seven days at  approximately  the price used in determining  the net
asset value of fund shares).

   
INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES WITH LIMITED OPERATING HISTORIES

    The funds may invest in the  securities  of issuers with  limited  operating
histories.  The manager  considers an issuer to have a limited operating history
if that issuer has a record of less than three years of continuous operation.

    Investments  in securities of issuers with limited  operating  histories may
involve greater risks than investments in securities of more mature issuers.  By
their  nature,  such issuers  present  limited  operating  history and financial
information upon which the manager may base its investment decision on behalf of
the funds. In addition,  financial and other information regarding such issuers,
when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.

    International Growth will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the
securities   of  issuers  with  less  than  a  three-year   operating   history.
International  Discovery  and Emerging  Markets will not invest more than 10% of
their total  assets in the  securities  of issuers  with less than a  three-year
operating  history.  The manager  will  consider  periods of capital  formation,
incubation, consolidation, and research and development in determining whether a
particular issuer has a record of three years of continuous operation.
    


 PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

   
    From  time  to  time,  the  funds  may  advertise   performance  data.  Fund
performance  may be shown by presenting  one or more  performance  measurements,
including  cumulative  total return or average annual total return.  Performance
data may be quoted separately for the Investor Class and for the other classes.
    

    Cumulative  total  return data is computed by  considering  all  elements of
return,  including  reinvestment  of dividends and capital gains  distributions,
over a stated  period of time.  Average  annual  total return is  determined  by
computing  the annual  compound  return over a stated  period of time that would
have  produced  the fund's  cumulative  total return over the same period if the
fund's performance had remained constant throughout.

   
    The funds may also include in advertisements data comparing performance with
the performance of non-related  investment media,  published  editorial comments
and performance  rankings compiled by independent  organizations (such as Lipper
Analytical  Services,  Inc.) and  publications  that monitor the  performance of
mutual  funds.  Performance  information  may be  quoted  numerically  or may be
presented in a table, graph or other illustration. In addition, fund performance
may be  compared  to  well-known  indices of market  performance  including  the
Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Dow Jones World Index, the IFC Global Composite
Index and the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe,  Australia,  Far East
Index (EAFE Index). Fund performance may also be compared,  on a relative basis,
to other funds in our fund family. This relative comparison,  which may be based
upon historical fund  performance or historical or expected  volatility or other
fund characteristics, may be presented numerically, graphically or in text. Fund
performance may also be combined or blended with other funds in our fund family,
and that combined or blended  performance may be compared to the same indices to
which individual funds may be compared.
    

    All performance  information advertised by the funds is historical in nature
and is not intended to represent or guarantee future results.  The value of fund
shares when redeemed may be more or less than their original cost.


16     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

 AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

    The funds  offered by this  Prospectus  are a part of the  American  Century
Investments  family  of  mutual  funds.  Our  family  provides  a full  range of
investment  opportunities,  from  the  aggressive  equity  growth  funds  in our
Twentieth  Century Group,  to the fixed income funds in our Benham Group, to the
moderate risk and specialty  funds in our American  Century  Group.  Please call
1-800-345-2021  for a  brochure  or  prospectuses  for the  other  funds  in the
American Century Investments family.

   
    To reduce  expenses and  demonstrate  respect for our  environment,  we have
initiated a project  through which we will  eliminate  duplicate  copies of most
financial  reports and  prospectuses  to most  households  and  deliver  account
statements to most households in a single envelope,  even if they have more than
one  account.  If you would like  additional  copies of  financial  reports  and
prospectuses or separate mailing of account statements, please call us.
    


 INVESTING IN AMERICAN CENTURY

   
    The  following  sections  explain how to invest in American  Century  funds,
including purchases, redemptions,  exchanges and special services. You will find
more detail about doing  business with us by referring to the Investor  Services
Guide that you will receive when you open an account.
    

    If  you  own  or  are   considering   purchasing   fund  shares  through  an
employer-sponsored  retirement  plan or through a bank,  broker-dealer  or other
financial  intermediary,  the  following  sections,  as well as the  information
contained  in our Investor  Services  Guide,  may not apply to you.  Please read
"Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans and Institutional Accounts," page 24.


 HOW TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT

    To open an account,  you must complete and sign an  application,  furnishing
your  taxpayer  identification  number.  (You must also certify  whether you are
subject to  withholding  for failing to report  income to the IRS.)  Investments
received without a certified taxpayer identification number will be returned.

    The minimum investment in International Growth is $2,500 [$1,000 for IRA and
Uniform  Gifts/Transfers  to Minors Acts (UGMA/UTMA)  accounts].  These minimums
will be waived if you  establish  an automatic  investment  plan to your account
that is the  equivalent  of at least $50 per month.  See  "Automatic  Investment
Plan," page 18.

    The minimum  investment in  International  Discovery and Emerging Markets is
$10,000. To keep an International  Discovery or Emerging Markets account open, a
minimum  share value of $10,000 must be  maintained.  If the share value of your
account  falls  below  $10,000,  the shares in your  account  will be subject to
automatic  redemption.  See  "Redemption of Shares in Low-Balance  Accounts," on
page 21.

    The  minimum  investment  requirements  may be  different  for some types of
retirement  accounts.  Call one of our  Investor  Services  Representatives  for
information  on  our  retirement  plans,  which  are  available  for  individual
investors or for those investing through their employers.

    Please note:  If you register  your account as belonging to multiple  owners
(e.g., as joint  tenants),  you must provide us with specific  authorization  on
your  application  in order for us to accept  written or telephone  instructions
from  a  single  owner.  Otherwise,  all  owners  will  have  to  agree  to  any
transactions  that involve the account  (whether the  transaction  request is in
writing or over the telephone).

    You may invest in the following ways:

BY MAIL

    Send a  completed  application  and  check or money  order  payable  in U.S.
dollars to American Century Investments.

BY WIRE

    You may make your initial  investment by wiring funds.  To do so, call us or
mail  a  completed   application  and  provide  your  bank  with  the  following
information:

PROSPECTUS              HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS       17


(*)  RECEIVING BANK AND ROUTING NUMBER:
   Commerce Bank, N.A. (101000019)

(*)  BENEFICIARY (BNF):
   American Century Services Corporation
   4500 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri 64111

(*)  BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT NUMBER (BNF ACCT):
   2804918

   
(*)  REFERENCE FOR BENEFICIARY (RFB):
   American  Century  account number into which you are investing.  If more than
   one, leave blank and see Bank to Bank Information below.
    

(*)  ORIGINATOR TO BENEFICIARY (OBI):
   Name and address of owner of account into which you are investing.

(*)  BANK TO BANK INFORMATION (BBI OR FREE FORM TEXT):

    *    Taxpayer identification or Social Security number.

    *    If more than one account,  account numbers and amount to be invested in
         each account.

   
    *    Current tax year, previous tax year or rollover  designation if an IRA.
         Specify  whether  traditional  IRA, Roth IRA,  Education IRA,  SEP-IRA,
         SARSEP-IRA, SIMPLE Employer or SIMPLE Employee.
    

BY EXCHANGE

   
    Call 1-800-345-2021 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time to get information on
opening an account by exchanging from another American Century account. See page
19 for more information on exchanges.
    

IN PERSON

    If you prefer to work with a representative  in person,  please visit one of
our Investor Centers, located at:


    4500 Main Street
    Kansas City, Missouri 64111

    4917 Town Center Drive
    Leawood, Kansas 66211

    1665 Charleston Road
    Mountain View, California 94043

    2000 S. Colorado Blvd.
    Denver, Colorado 80222

SUBSEQUENT INVESTMENTS

   
    Subsequent  investments  may  be  made  by an  automatic  bank,  payroll  or
government direct deposit (see "Automatic Investment Plan," this page) or by any
of  the  methods  below.  The  minimum  investment  requirement  for  subsequent
investments is $250 for checks submitted  without the investment slip portion of
a previous  statement or confirmation  and $50 for all other types of subsequent
investments.
    

BY MAIL

   
    When making subsequent  investments,  enclose your check with the investment
slip portion of a previous statement or confirmation.  If the investment slip is
not available, indicate your name, address and account number on your check or a
separate  piece of paper.  (Please  be aware  that the  investment  minimum  for
subsequent investments is higher without an investment slip.)
    

BY TELEPHONE

    Once your account is open, you may make investments by telephone if you have
authorized us (by choosing "Full Services" on your  application) to draw on your
bank  account.  You may  call an  Investor  Services  Representative  or use our
Automated Information Line.

BY ONLINE ACCESS

    Once  your  account  is open,  you may make  investments  online if you have
authorized us (by choosing "Full Services" on your  application) to draw on your
bank account.

BY WIRE

    You may make  subsequent  investments  by  wire.  Follow  the wire  transfer
instructions on page 17 and indicate your account number.

IN PERSON

    You  may  make  subsequent  investments  in  person  at one of our  Investor
Centers. The locations of our Investor Centers are listed on this page.

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN

    You may  elect on your  application  to make  investments  automatically  by
authorizing us to draw on your bank account regularly.  Such investments must be
at least the  equivalent  of $50 per  month.  You also may  choose an  automatic
payroll or government


18 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
direct deposit. If you are establishing a new account, check the appropriate box
under "Automatic  Investments" on your application to receive more  information.
If you would like to add a direct deposit to an existing account, please call an
Investor Services Representative.
    


HOW TO EXCHANGE FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER

    As long as you meet any minimum  investment  requirements,  you may exchange
your fund  shares to our other  funds up to six times per year per  account.  An
exchange  request will be processed as of the same day it is received,  if it is
received  before the funds' net asset values are  calculated,  which is one hour
prior to the close of the New York Stock  Exchange  for funds issued by American
Century Target  Maturities Trust and at the close of the Exchange for all of our
other funds. See "When Share Price is Determined," page 25.

    For any single exchange,  the shares of each fund being acquired must have a
value of at least $100.  However, we will allow investors to set up an Automatic
Exchange Plan between any two funds in the amount of at least $50 per month. See
our Investor Services Guide for further information about exchanges.

    If, in any 90-day period,  the total of your exchanges and your  redemptions
from any one account  exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the fund's assets,
further  exchanges  will be subject to special  requirements  to comply with our
policy on large redemptions.  See "Special  Requirements for Large Redemptions,"
page 20.

    IN ORDER TO  DISCOURAGE  THE EXCHANGE OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY AFTER THEIR PURCHASE,  EXCHANGE OF THOSE SHARES WITHIN 180 DAYS OF THEIR
PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE SHARES
EXCHANGED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the impact
such exchanges have on fund performance and, hence, on the other shareholders of
the fund. For the purposes of determining the  applicability of this fee, shares
first  purchased  will be  deemed to be the  shares  first  exchanged.  The fund
reserves  its right to modify its policy  regarding  this  redemption  fee or to
waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.

BY MAIL

    You may direct us in writing  to  exchange  your  shares  from one  American
Century account to another. For additional information,  please see our Investor
Services Guide.

BY TELEPHONE

    You can make exchanges over the telephone  (either with an Investor Services
Representative or using our Automated Information Line--see page 22) if you have
authorized  us to  accept  telephone  instructions.  You can  authorize  this by
selecting "Full Services" on your application or by calling us at 1-800-345-2021
to get the appropriate form.

BY ONLINE ACCESS

    You  can  make  exchanges  online  if  you  have  authorized  us  to  accept
instructions  over the  Internet.  You can  authorize  this by  selecting  "Full
Services"  on your  application  or by calling us at  1-800-345-2021  to get the
appropriate form.


HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

   
    We will  redeem or "buy back" your shares at any time.  Redemptions  will be
made at the next net asset value determined after a complete  redemption request
is received. For large redemptions,  please read "Special Requirements for Large
Redemptions," page 20.
    

    Please note that a request to redeem shares in an IRA or 403(b) plan must be
accompanied  by an  executed  IRS  Form  W4-P  and a reason  for  withdrawal  as
specified by the IRS.

    IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE THE REDEMPTION OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY  AFTER THEIR  PURCHASE,  REDEMPTION  OF THOSE SHARES  WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES  REDEEMED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the
impact  such  redemptions  have on fund  performance  and,  hence,  on the other
shareholders of the fund. For the purposes of determining the  applicability  of
this fee, shares first purchased will be deemed to be the shares first redeemed.
The fund reserves its right to modify its policy  regarding this  redemption fee
or to waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.


PROSPECTUS          HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS       19


BY MAIL

    Your  written  instructions  to  redeem  shares  may  be  made  either  by a
redemption  form,  which we will  send you upon  request,  or by a letter to us.
Certain  redemptions  may require a signature  guarantee.  Please see "Signature
Guarantee," page 21.

BY TELEPHONE

    If you have authorized us to accept telephone  instructions,  you may redeem
your shares by calling an Investor Services Representative.

BY CHECK-A-MONTH

   
    If you have at least a  $10,000  balance  in your  account,  you may  redeem
shares by  Check-A-Month.  A  Check-A-Month  plan  automatically  redeems enough
shares each month to provide  you with a check in an amount you choose  (minimum
$50). To set up a Check-A-Month  plan, please call and request our Check-A-Month
brochure.
    

OTHER AUTOMATIC REDEMPTIONS

   
    If you have at least a $10,000  balance  in your  account,  you may elect to
make redemptions automatically by authorizing us to send funds to you or to your
account  at  a  bank  or  other  financial  institution.  To  set  up  automatic
redemptions, call an Investor Services Representative.
    

REDEMPTION PROCEEDS

    Please  note that  shortly  after a  purchase  of shares is made by check or
electronic  draft (also known as an ACH draft) from your bank, we may wait up to
15 days or longer to send  redemption  proceeds (to allow your purchase funds to
clear).  No interest is paid on the redemption  proceeds after the redemption is
processed but before your redemption proceeds are sent.

    Redemption proceeds may be sent to you in one of the following ways:

BY CHECK

    Ordinarily,  all  redemption  checks will be made payable to the  registered
owner of the shares and will be mailed only to the  address of record.  For more
information, please refer to our Investor Services Guide.

BY WIRE AND ACH

    You may authorize us to transmit  redemption  proceeds by wire or ACH. These
services will be effective 15 days after we receive the authorization.

    Your bank will usually receive wired funds within 48 hours of  transmission.
Funds  transferred  by ACH may be received up to seven days after  transmission.
Wired  funds  are  subject  to a $10 fee to cover  bank wire  charges,  which is
deducted from redemption proceeds.  Once the funds are transmitted,  the time of
receipt and the funds' availability are not under our control.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE REDEMPTIONS

   
    We have  elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the  Investment  Company
Act,  which  obligates  each  fund to make  certain  redemptions  in cash.  This
requirement  to  pay  redemptions  in  cash  applies  to  situations  where  one
shareholder  redeems,  during any 90-day period, up to the lesser of $250,000 or
1% of the assets of the fund. Although  redemptions in excess of this limitation
will  also  normally  be paid in  cash,  we  reserve  the  right  under  unusual
circumstances  to honor these  redemptions by making payment in whole or in part
in readily marketable securities (a "redemption-in-kind").
    

    If payment is made in securities, the securities, selected by the fund, will
be valued in the same manner as they are in computing the fund's net asset value
and will be provided without prior notice.

    If your redemption would exceed this limit and you would like to avoid being
paid in  securities,  please  provide us with an  unconditional  instruction  to
redeem at least 15 days prior to the date on which the redemption transaction is
to occur.  The instruction must specify the dollar amount or number of shares to
be redeemed and the date of the  transaction.  This  minimizes the effect of the
redemption on the fund and its remaining shareholders.

    Despite the fund's right to redeem fund shares through a redemption-in-kind,
we do not expect to exercise  this  option  unless a fund has an  unusually  low
level  of cash to meet  redemptions  and/or  is  experiencing  unusually  strong
demands for its cash. Such a demand might be caused, for example, by extreme


20 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


market conditions that result in an abnormally high level of redemption requests
concentrated in a short period of time.  Absent these or similar  circumstances,
we expect  redemptions in excess of $250,000 to be paid in cash in any fund with
assets of more than $50 million if total redemptions from any one account in any
90-day period do not exceed one-half of 1% of the total assets of the fund.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN LOW-BALANCE ACCOUNTS

    International Growth. If at any time you have an International Growth
account that falls into either of the following categories:

  (i)    you invested the required  minimum  initial  investment  amount for the
         fund,  currently  $2,500  ($1,000 for UGMA/UTMA  accounts),  but due to
         exchanges or redemptions  you have made, the account now has a value of
         less than the minimum initial investment amount; or

  (ii)   you have not invested the minimum  initial  investment  amount,  and an
         automatic  investment  program  of $50 or more per month does not exist
         for the account;

a  notification  will  be  sent  advising  you of the  need  to  either  make an
investment  to bring the value of the  shares  held in the  account up to $2,500
($1,000) or to establish an Automatic  Investment Plan of $50 or more per month.
If the  investment  is not made or the automatic  investment is not  established
within 90 days from the date of  notification,  the shares  held in the  account
will be redeemed and the proceeds from the  redemption  will be sent by check to
your address of record.

    The automatic redemption of shares of International Growth will not apply to
Individual Retirement Accounts,  403(b) accounts and other types of tax-deferred
retirement plan accounts.

    International  Discovery  and Emerging  Markets.  If at any time you have an
International  Discovery or Emerging  Markets  account that falls into either of
the following categories:

  (i)    you invested the required minimum initial investment amount of $10,000,
         but due to exchanges or redemptions  you have made, the account now has
         a value of less than $10,000; or

  (ii)   you have not invested $10,000;

a  notification  will be sent  advising you of the need to make an investment to
bring  the  value  of the  shares  held in the  account  up to  $10,000.  If the
investment is not made within 90 days from the date of notification,  the shares
held in the account will be redeemed and the proceeds from the  redemption  will
be sent by check to your address of record.

    The funds reserve the right to modify their policies regarding the automatic
redemption of shares,  or to waive such policies in whole or in part for certain
classes of investors.

 SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

    To protect  your  accounts  from fraud,  some  transactions  will  require a
signature guarantee.  Which transactions will require a signature guarantee will
depend on which  service  options  you elect  when you open  your  account.  For
example,  if you choose "In  Writing  Only," a signature  guarantee  is required
when:

    *    redeeming more than $25,000; or

    *    establishing or increasing a Check-A-Month or automatic transfer on an
         existing account.

    You can obtain a signature  guarantee from a bank or trust  company,  credit
union,  broker-dealer,  securities  exchange or association,  clearing agency or
savings association, as defined by federal law.

    For a more in-depth explanation of our signature guarantee policy, or if you
live outside the United  States and would like to know how to obtain a signature
guarantee, please consult our Investor Services Guide.

    We reserve the right to require a signature guarantee on any transaction, or
to change this policy at any time.


 SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

    We offer  several  service  options to make your  account  easier to manage.
These are listed on the account  application.  Please make note of these options
and  elect  the ones  that are  appropriate  for you.  Be aware  that the  "Full
Services" option offers you the most flexibility. You will find more information
about each of these service options in our Investor Services Guide.


PROSPECTUS              HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS      21


    Our special shareholder services include:

AUTOMATED INFORMATION LINE

    We offer an Automated  Information  Line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
at 1-800-345-8765.  By calling the Automated Information Line, you may listen to
fund prices,  yields and total return  figures.  You may also use the  Automated
Information  Line to make  investments  into your accounts (if we have your bank
information  on file) and  obtain  your  share  balance,  value and most  recent
transactions.  If you have authorized us to accept telephone  instructions,  you
also may exchange shares from one fund to another via the Automated  Information
Line.  Redemption  instructions  cannot be given via the  Automated  Information
Line.

ONLINE ACCOUNT ACCESS

   
    You  may   contact   us  24   hours   a  day,   seven   days  a   week,   at
www.americancentury.com  to access daily share prices,  receive updates on major
market indices and view historical  performance of the fund. If you select "Full
Services" on your application,  you can use your personal access code and Social
Security  number  to view  your  account  balance  and  account  activity,  make
subsequent  investments  from your bank account or exchange shares from one fund
to another.
    

OPEN ORDER SERVICE

    Through our open order  service,  you may  designate a price at which to buy
shares of a variable-priced fund by exchange from one of our money market funds,
or a price at which to sell shares of a variable-priced  fund by exchange to one
of our money market funds.  The  designated  purchase  price must be equal to or
lower, or the designated sale price equal to or higher, than the variable-priced
fund's net asset value at the time the order is placed.  If the designated price
is  met  within  90  calendar   days,  we  will  execute  your  exchange   order
automatically at that price (or better). Open orders not executed within 90 days
will be canceled.

    If the fund you have selected  deducts a distribution  from its share price,
your order  price will be  adjusted  accordingly  so the  distribution  does not
inadvertently  trigger an open order transaction on your behalf. If you close or
re-register  the  account  from which the shares are to be  redeemed,  your open
order will be canceled.

    Because of their time-sensitive nature, open order transactions are accepted
only by  telephone  or in person.  These  transactions  are  subject to exchange
limitations  described  in  each  fund's  prospectus,  except  that  orders  and
cancellations  received  before 2 p.m.  Central time are effective the same day,
and orders or cancellations received after 2 p.m. Central time are effective the
next business day.

TAX-QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS

    Each fund is available for your tax-deferred  retirement plan. Call or write
us and request the appropriate forms for:

    *    Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs);

    *    403(b)plans for employees of public school systems and non-profit
         organizations; or

    *    Profit sharing plans and pension plans for corporations and other
         employers.

    If your IRA and  403(b)  accounts  do not total  $10,000,  each  account  is
subject to an annual $10 fee, up to a total of $30 per year.

    You can also transfer your  tax-deferred  plan to us from another company or
custodian. Call or write us for a Request to Transfer form.


 IMPORTANT POLICIES REGARDING YOUR INVESTMENTS

    Every  account is subject to policies  that could  affect  your  investment.
Please refer to the Investor  Services Guide for further  information  about the
policies discussed below, as well as further detail about the services we offer

  (1)    We reserve the right for any reason to suspend  the  offering of shares
         for a  period  of  time,  or to  reject  any  specific  purchase  order
         (including  purchases  by  exchange).  Additionally,  purchases  may be
         refused  if, in the  opinion  of the  manager,  they are of a size that
         would disrupt the management of the fund.

  (2)    We  reserve  the  right  to  make  changes  to  any  stated  investment
         requirements,  including those that relate to purchases,  transfers and
         redemptions.  In addition,  we may also alter,  add to or terminate any
         investor services and


22 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


         privileges. Any changes may affect all shareholders or only certain
         series or classes of shareholders.

  (3)    Shares  being  acquired  must be  qualified  for sale in your  state of
         residence.

  (4)    Transactions  requesting  a  specific  price and date,  other than open
         orders, will be refused.  Once you have mailed or otherwise transmitted
         your  transaction  instructions  to us,  they  may not be  modified  or
         canceled.

  (5)    If a transaction request is made by a corporation,  partnership, trust,
         fiduciary,  agent  or  unincorporated   association,  we  will  require
         evidence  satisfactory to us of the authority of the individual  making
         the request.

   
  (6)    We have established  procedures  designed to assure the authenticity of
         instructions received by telephone. These procedures include requesting
         personal  identification  from callers,  recording telephone calls, and
         providing  written  confirmations  of  telephone  transactions.   These
         procedures are designed to protect  shareholders  from  unauthorized or
         fraudulent  instructions.  If we do not employ reasonable procedures to
         confirm  the  genuineness  of  instructions,  then we may be liable for
         losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The company, its
         transfer agent and manager will not be responsible  for any loss due to
         instructions they reasonably believe are genuine.
    

  (7)    All   signatures   should  be  exactly  as  the  name  appears  in  the
         registration.  If the owner's name appears in the  registration as Mary
         Elizabeth Jones, she should sign that way and not as Mary E. Jones.

  (8)    Unusual  stock  market  conditions  have  in the  past  resulted  in an
         increase  in  the  number  of  shareholder   telephone  calls.  If  you
         experience  difficulty in reaching us during such periods, you may send
         your transaction instructions by mail, express mail or courier service,
         or you may  visit  one of our  Investor  Centers.  You may also use our
         Automated Information Line if you have requested and received an access
         code and are not attempting to redeem shares.

  (9)    If  you  fail  to  provide  us  with  the  correct  certified  taxpayer
         identification  number, we may reduce any redemption proceeds by $50 to
         cover the  penalty the IRS will impose on us for failure to report your
         correct taxpayer identification number on information reports.

  (10)   We will perform special inquiries on shareholder  accounts.  A research
         fee of $15 per hour may be applied.


 REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

    At the  end of  each  calendar  quarter,  we will  send  you a  consolidated
statement that summarizes all of your American Century  holdings,  as well as an
individual  statement  for  each  fund you own that  reflects  all  year-to-date
activity in your account.  You may request a statement of your account  activity
at any time.

    With the  exception of most  automatic  transactions,  each time you invest,
redeem,  transfer or exchange  shares,  we will send you a  confirmation  of the
transaction. See the Investor Services Guide for more detail.

    Carefully  review  all the  information  relating  to  transactions  on your
statements  and  confirmations  to ensure that your  instructions  were acted on
properly.  Please notify us immediately in writing if there is an error.  If you
fail to provide  notification  of an error  with  reasonable  promptness,  i.e.,
within 30 days of  non-automatic  transactions  or within 30 days of the date of
your consolidated quarterly statement, in the case of automatic transactions, we
will deem you to have ratified the transaction.

    No later than January 31 of each year, we will send you reports that you may
use in completing your U.S. income tax return.  See the Investor  Services Guide
for more information.

    Each year,  we will send you an annual and a semiannual  report  relating to
your fund, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.  The annual report
includes audited financial  statements and a list of portfolio  securities as of
the  fiscal  year  end.  The  semiannual  report  includes  unaudited  financial
statements  for the first six  months of the fiscal  year,  as well as a list of
portfolio  securities at the end of the period. You also will receive an updated
prospectus at least once


PROSPECTUS             HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS        23


each  year.  Please  read  these  materials  carefully,  as they  will  help you
understand your fund.


EMPLOYER-SPONSORED RETIREMENT
PLANS AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS

    Information   contained  in  our  Investor   Services   Guide   pertains  to
shareholders  who invest  directly with American  Century rather than through an
employer-sponsored retirement plan or through a financial intermediary.

    If  you  own  or  are   considering   purchasing   fund  shares  through  an
employer-sponsored  retirement  plan,  your  ability to  purchase  shares of the
funds, exchange them for shares of other American Century funds, and redeem them
will depend on the terms of your plan.

    If you  own or are  considering  purchasing  fund  shares  through  a  bank,
broker-dealer,  insurance company or other financial intermediary,  your ability
to purchase,  exchange and redeem shares will depend on your agreement with, and
the policies of, such financial intermediary.

   
    You may reach one of our Institutional  Service  Representatives  by calling
1-800-345-3533 to request information about our funds and services,  to obtain a
current  prospectus or to get answers to any questions  about our funds that you
are unable to obtain through your plan administrator or financial intermediary.
    


24 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

SHARE PRICE

WHEN SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

   
    The price of your shares is also  referred to as their net asset value.  Net
asset value is determined  by  calculating  the total value of a fund's  assets,
deducting  total  liabilities  and  dividing  the result by the number of shares
outstanding.  For all American  Century  funds,  except funds issued by American
Century Target  Maturities  Trust, net asset value is determined as of the close
of regular trading on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open, usually
3 p.m.  Central  time.  The net asset  values  for Target  Maturities  funds are
determined one hour prior to the close of the Exchange.

    Investments and requests to redeem or exchange shares will receive the share
price next  determined  after  receipt by us of the  investment,  redemption  or
exchange  request.  For example,  investments and requests to redeem or exchange
shares  received by us or one of our agents or  designees  before the time as of
which the net asset value of the fund is determined,  are effective on, and will
receive the price  determined,  that day.  Investment,  redemption  and exchange
requests received  thereafter are effective on, and receive the price determined
as of, the close of the Exchange on the next day the Exchange is open.
    

    Investments  are  considered  received  only when payment is received by us.
Wired funds are  considered  received on the day they are  deposited in our bank
account if they are deposited before the time as of which the net asset value of
the fund is determined.

    Investments by telephone pursuant to your prior  authorization to us to draw
on your bank account are considered received at the time of your telephone call.

    Investment and transaction  instructions  received by us on any business day
by mail  prior  to the  time as of  which  the net  asset  value  of the fund is
determined, will receive that day's price. Investments and instructions received
after that time will receive the price determined on the next business day.

    If you invest in fund shares through an  employer-sponsored  retirement plan
or  other  financial  intermediary,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  your  plan
recordkeeper or financial  intermediary to transmit your purchase,  exchange and
redemption requests to the funds' transfer agent prior to the applicable cut-off
time for receiving  orders and to make payment for any purchase  transactions in
accordance with the funds'  procedures or any contractual  arrangements with the
funds or the funds' distributor in order for you to receive that day's price.

   
    We have contractual  relationships with certain financial  intermediaries in
which such intermediaries  represent that they have systems to track the time at
which  investment  orders are  received  and to  segregate  orders  received  at
different times. Based on these representations,  the funds have authorized such
intermediaries  and their designees to accept purchase and redemption  orders on
the funds' behalf up to the applicable cut-off time. The funds will be deemed to
have received such orders upon acceptance by the duly  authorized  intermediary,
and such  orders  will be priced at the funds' net asset  value next  determined
after acceptance on the funds' behalf by such intermediary.
    

HOW SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

    The valuation of assets for determining net asset value may be summarized as
follows:

    The portfolio  securities of each fund, except as otherwise noted, listed or
traded on a domestic  securities  exchange  are valued at the last sale price on
that  exchange.  Portfolio  securities  primarily  traded on foreign  securities
exchanges  are  generally  valued  at  the  preceding  closing  values  of  such
securities on the exchange where primarily traded. If no sale is reported, or if
local convention or regulation so provides, the mean of the latest bid and asked
prices is used.  Depending on local convention or regulation,  securities traded
over-the-counter  are priced at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices,  or
at the last sale  price.  When  market  quotations  are not  readily  available,
securities and other assets are valued at fair value as determined in accordance
with procedures adopted by the Board of Directors.


PROSPECTUS                       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       25


    Debt  securities  not traded on a principal  securities  exchange are valued
through  valuations  obtained from a commercial  pricing  service or at the most
recent  mean of the bid and asked  prices  provided  by  investment  dealers  in
accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors.

    The  value of an  exchange-traded  foreign  security  is  determined  in its
national currency as of the close of trading on the foreign exchange on which it
is traded or as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange, if that
is earlier.  That value is then exchanged to dollars at the  prevailing  foreign
exchange  rate.  Trading in  securities  on European and Far Eastern  securities
exchanges and  over-the-counter  markets is normally  completed at various times
before the close of  business  on each day that the New York Stock  Exchange  is
open.

    If an event were to occur after the value of a security was  established but
before  the net  asset  value  per  share  was  determined  that was  likely  to
materially  change the net asset value,  then that  security  would be valued at
fair value as determined in accordance with  procedures  adopted by the Board of
Directors.

    Trading of these  securities in foreign  markets may not take place on every
New York Stock  Exchange  business  day. In addition,  trading may take place in
various  foreign  markets on  Saturdays or on other days when the New York Stock
Exchange  is not open and on which a fund's net asset  value is not  calculated.
Therefore,  such  calculation  does not take  place  contemporaneously  with the
determination  of the prices of many of the  portfolio  securities  used in such
calculation  and the value of a fund's  portfolio  may be  affected on days when
shares of the fund may not be purchased or redeemed.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT SHARE PRICE

    The net asset  values of the  Investor  Class of  International  Growth  and
International Discovery are published in leading newspapers daily. The net asset
value of the Investor Class of Emerging  Markets will be published in newspapers
when the fund meets the minimum size  requirements  for  listing.  The net asset
value  may  be   obtained   by  calling  us  or  by   accessing   our  Web  site
(www.americancentury.com).


DISTRIBUTIONS

    In  general,  distributions  from net  investment  income  and net  realized
securities  gains, if any, are declared and paid annually,  usually in December,
but the funds may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the
distribution  requirements  of the  Internal  Revenue  Code,  in all events in a
manner consistent with the provisions of the Investment Company Act.

    THE OBJECTIVE OF EACH FUND IS CAPITAL APPRECIATION AND NOT THE PRODUCTION OF
DISTRIBUTIONS. YOU SHOULD MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY THE VALUE OF
YOUR INVESTMENT AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND NOT BY THE DISTRIBUTIONS YOU RECEIVE.

   
    Participants in employer-sponsored retirement or savings plans must reinvest
all  distributions.   For  shareholders   investing  through  taxable  accounts,
distributions  will be  reinvested  unless  you elect to  receive  them in cash.
Distributions of less than $10 generally will be reinvested.  Distributions made
shortly  after a  purchase  by check  or ACH may be held up to 15 days.  You may
elect to have distributions on shares held in certain IRAs and 403(b) plans paid
in cash only if you are at least  591/2  years old or  permanently  and  totally
disabled.  Distribution  checks  normally are mailed within seven days after the
record date. Please consult our Investor Services Guide for further  information
regarding your distribution options.
    

    A  distribution  on  shares of a fund  does not  increase  the value of your
shares or your total return. At any given time the value of your shares includes
the  undistributed  net  gains,  if any,  realized  by the  fund on the  sale of
portfolio securities,  and undistributed  dividends and interest received,  less
fund expenses.

    Because such gains and  dividends  are included in the price of your shares,
when they are  distributed  the price of your shares is reduced by the amount of
the  distribution.  If you buy your shares through a taxable account just before
the distribution,  you will pay the full price for your shares, and then receive
a portion of the  purchase  price back as a taxable  distribution.  See "Taxes,"
page 27.


26   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


TAXES

Each fund has elected to be taxed under  Subchapter  M of the  Internal  Revenue
Code,  which means that to the extent its income is distributed to shareholders,
it pays no income tax.

TAX-DEFERRED ACCOUNTS

    If fund  shares  are  purchased  through  tax-deferred  accounts,  such as a
qualified  employer-sponsored  retirement  or savings  plan,  income and capital
gains  distributions  paid by the fund will  generally not be subject to current
taxation,  but will  accumulate in your account under the plan on a tax-deferred
basis.

    Employer-sponsored  retirement and savings plans are governed by complex tax
rules.  If you elect to participate in your employer's  plan,  consult your plan
administrator,  your plan's  summary plan  description,  or a  professional  tax
advisor   regarding  the  tax   consequences  of   participation  in  the  plan,
contributions to, and withdrawals or distributions from the plan.

TAXABLE ACCOUNTS

   
    If fund shares are purchased through taxable accounts,  distributions of net
investment  income  and net  short-term  capital  gains  are  taxable  to you as
ordinary income. The dividends from net income may qualify for the 70% dividends
received  deduction  for  corporations  to the extent  that the fund held shares
receiving the dividend for more than 45 days. Distributions from gains on assets
held  longer  than 12 months but no more than 18 months  (28% rate gain)  and/or
assets held longer than 18 months (20% rate gain) are taxable as long-term gains
regardless of the length of time you have held the shares.  However,  you should
note that any loss  realized  upon the sale or redemption of shares held for six
months or less will be treated as a long-term  capital loss to the extent of any
distribution  of  long-term  capital  gain  (28% or 20%  rate  gain) to you with
respect to such shares.
    

    Dividends  and interest  received by a fund on foreign  securities  may give
rise  to  withholding  and  other  taxes  imposed  by  foreign  countries.   Tax
conventions  between  certain  countries  and the  United  States  may reduce or
eliminate such taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital
gains in respect of investments  by  non-resident  investors.  The foreign taxes
paid by a fund will reduce its dividends.

   
    If more  than 50% of the  value of a fund's  total  assets at the end of its
fiscal year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the fund may qualify
for and make an election with the Internal  Revenue Service with respect to such
fiscal year so that fund  shareholders may be able to claim a foreign tax credit
in lieu of a deduction  for foreign  income  taxes paid by the fund.  If such an
election is made,  the foreign  taxes paid by the fund will be treated as income
received by you. In order for the shareholder to utilize the foreign tax credit,
the mutual fund shares must have been held for 16 days or more during the 30-day
period,  beginning  15 days prior to the  ex-dividend  date for the mutual  fund
shares.  The mutual fund must meet a similar  holding  period  requirement  with
respect to foreign  securities to which a dividend is attributable.  Any portion
of the  foreign  tax  credit  which is  ineligible  as a result  of the fund not
meeting the holding period  requirement will be separately  disclosed and may be
eligible as an itemized deduction.

    If a fund purchases the securities of certain  foreign  investment  funds or
trusts called passive foreign investment companies (PFIC),  capital gains on the
sale of such  holdings  will be deemed to be ordinary  income  regardless of how
long the fund holds its  investment.  The fund may also be subject to  corporate
income tax and an interest charge on certain  dividends and capital gains earned
from  these  investments,  regardless  of  whether  such  income  and  gains are
distributed to shareholders. In the alternative, the fund may elect to recognize
cumulative  gains on such  investments as of the last day of its fiscal year and
distribute  it to  shareholders.  Any  distribution  attributable  to a PFIC  is
characterized as ordinary income.
    

    Distributions  are taxable to you  regardless  of whether  they are taken in
cash or reinvested,  even if the value of your shares is below your cost. If you
purchase shares shortly before a distribution,  you must pay income taxes on the
distribution,  even though the value of your investment (plus cash received,  if
any) will not have  increased.  In  addition,  the  share  price at the time you
purchase  shares may  include  unrealized  gains in the  securities  held in the
investment portfolio of the fund. If these portfolio securities are subsequently
sold and the gains are realized,  they will, to the extent not offset by capital
losses, be paid to you as a distribution of capital gains and will be taxable to


PROSPECTUS                       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       27


   
you as short-term or long-term capital gains (28% and/or 20% rate gain).
    

    In January of the year  following the  distribution,  if you own shares in a
taxable account, you will receive a Form 1099-DIV notifying you of the status of
your distributions for federal income tax purposes.

    Distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes, even if all or a
substantial  part  of such  distributions  are  derived  from  interest  on U.S.
government  obligations  which,  if you received them directly,  would be exempt
from state income tax. However, most but not all states allow this tax exemption
to pass  through  to fund  shareholders  when a fund pays  distributions  to its
shareholders.  You should  consult your tax advisor about the tax status of such
distributions in your own state.

    If you have not complied  with certain  provisions  of the Internal  Revenue
Code and  Regulations,  we are  required by federal law to withhold and remit to
the IRS 31% of reportable  payments (which may include dividends,  capital gains
distributions  and redemptions).  Those regulations  require you to certify that
the Social Security number or tax  identification  number you provide is correct
and that you are not subject to 31% withholding for previous  under-reporting to
the  IRS.  You  will be asked  to make  the  appropriate  certification  on your
application.  Payments  reported by us that omit your Social  Security number or
tax  identification  number will  subject us to a penalty of $50,  which will be
charged  against  your account if you fail to provide the  certification  by the
time the report is filed. This charge is not refundable.

   
    Redemption of shares of a fund  (including  redemptions  made in an exchange
transaction)  will be a taxable  transaction for federal income tax purposes and
shareholders  generally  will recognize a gain or loss in an amount equal to the
difference  between  the basis of the shares and the amount  received.  Assuming
that  shareholders hold such shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss will be
a capital gain or loss and generally will be considered long-term subject to tax
at a maximum rate of 28% if  shareholders  have held such shares for a period of
more than 12 months but no more than 18 months and long-term subject to tax at a
maximum rate of 20% if  shareholders  have held such shares for a period of more
than 18 months.  If a loss is realized on the  redemption  of fund  shares,  the
reinvestment  in  additional  fund  shares  within  30 days  before or after the
redemption may be subject to the "wash sale" rules of the Internal Revenue Code,
resulting in a postponement  of the  recognition of such loss for federal income
tax purposes.

    In addition to the federal income tax consequences  described above relating
to an  investment  in a fund,  there  may be other  federal,  state or local tax
considerations  that depend upon the circumstances of each particular  investor.
Prospective  shareholders are therefore urged to consult their tax advisors with
respect to the effect of this investment on their own specific situtations.
    


 MANAGEMENT

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

    Under  the  laws of the  State  of  Maryland,  the  Board  of  Directors  is
responsible for managing the business and affairs of the funds.  Acting pursuant
to an  investment  management  agreement  entered into with the funds,  American
Century  Investment  Management,  Inc.  serves as the investment  manager of the
funds.  Its principal  place of business is American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street,  Kansas City, Missouri 64111. The manager has been providing  investment
advisory services to investment companies and institutional clients since it was
founded in 1958.

    The manager  supervises and manages the  investment  portfolio of a fund and
directs the purchase and sale of its investment  securities.  It utilizes a team
of portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers and analysts acting together
to manage the assets of a fund.  The team meets  regularly  to review  portfolio
holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity. The team adjusts holdings in
a fund's portfolio as they deem appropriate in pursuit of the fund's  investment
objectives.  Individual  portfolio  manager  members of the team may also adjust
portfolio holdings of a funds as necessary between team meetings.

    The portfolio  manager  members of the teams managing the funds described in
this  Prospectus  and  their  work  experience  for the last  five  years are as
follows:

   
    HENRIK STRABO, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century  in  1993 as an  Investment  Analyst  of the  International  Growth  and
International Discovery team and has been a Portfolio
    


28   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
Manager member of the team since 1994.  Prior to joining American  Century,  Mr.
Strabo was Vice  President,  International  Equity Sales with  Barclays de Zoete
Wedd from 1991 to 1993.  He is a member of the teams that  manage  International
Growth and International Discovery.
    

    MARK S. KOPINSKI,  Vice President and Portfolio  Manager,  rejoined American
Century in April 1997. From June 1995 to March 1997, Mr. Kopinski served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to June
1995,  Mr.  Kopinski was a Vice  President  and  Portfolio  Manager for American
Century.  He  is a  member  of  the  teams  that  manage  International  Growth,
International  Discovery  and the Emerging  Markets Fund. He was a member of the
International  Growth and  International  Discovery  teams at their inception in
1991.

    MICHAEL J. DONNELLY,  Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century in August 1997. From July 1993 to July 1997, Mr. Donnelly served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to July
1993, Mr.  Donnelly  served as Assistant Vice President for Korea First Bank. He
is a member of the team that manages the Emerging Markets Fund.

    The  activities  of the manager are subject only to directions of the funds'
Board of  Directors.  The  manager  pays all the  expenses  of the funds  except
brokerage,  taxes,  interest,  fees and  expenses of the  non-interested  person
directors (including counsel fees) and extraordinary expenses.

   
    For the services  provided to the Investor  Class of the funds,  the manager
receives an annual fee  calculated  as a percentage of the average net assets of
each of the funds as follows:
    

Fund                                              Percent of Average Net Assets
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Growth                              1.50% of first $1 billion
                                                  1.20% of the next $1 billion
                                                  1.10% over $2 billion

International Discovery                           1.75% of first $500 million
                                                  1.40% of the next $500 million
                                                  1.20% over $1 billion

Emerging Markets                                  2.00% of first $500 million
                                                  1.50% of the next $500 million
                                                  1.25% over $1 billion
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   
    On the first business day of each month,  each fund pays a management fee to
the  manager  for the  previous  month at the  specified  rate.  The fee for the
previous month is calculated by multiplying  the applicable fee for each fund by
the  aggregate  average daily closing value of each funds' net assets during the
previous  month,  and  further  multiplying  that  product  by a  fraction,  the
numerator  of  which  is the  number  of  days  in the  previous  month  and the
denominator of which is 365 (366 in leap years).
    

    The  management  fees paid by the funds to the  manager  are higher than the
fees paid by the various  other funds in the  American  Century  family of funds
because of the higher costs and additional expenses associated with managing and
operating a fund owning a portfolio  consisting primarily of foreign securities.
The fee may also be  higher  than the fee paid by many  other  international  or
foreign investment companies.

   
    Many other  investment  companies  may refer to or publicize an  "investment
management fee" or "management fee" paid by the company to its manager. However,
most such companies also use fund assets to pay for certain expenses of the fund
in addition to the stated  management fee. In contrast,  the management fee paid
to the  manager  includes  payment  for  almost  all  fund  expenses,  with  the
exceptions  noted.  Therefore,  potential  investors  who attempt to compare the
expenses  of these funds to the  expenses  of other  funds  should be careful to
compare only the ratio of total expenses to average net assets  contained in the
financial information found on pages 5-7 of this Prospectus to the same ratio of
the other funds.
    

    The  management  agreement also provides that the funds' Board of Directors,
upon 60 days' prior written  notice to all affected  shareholders,  may impose a
servicing or administrative fee as a charge against shareholder accounts.

CODE OF ETHICS

    The funds and the  manager  have  adopted  a Code of Ethics  that  restricts
personal  investing  practices by  employees of the manager and its  affiliates.
Among other  provisions,  the Code of Ethics requires that employees with access
to information about the purchase or sale of securities in the funds' portfolios


PROSPECTUS                         ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW     29


obtain  preclearance before executing personal trades. With respect to Portfolio
Managers  and  other  investment   personnel,   the  Code  of  Ethics  prohibits
acquisition  of securities  in an initial  public  offering,  as well as profits
derived from the purchase and sale of the same security within 60 calendar days.
These provisions are designed to ensure that the interests of fund  shareholders
come before the interests of the people who manage those funds.

TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

    American  Century  Services  Corporation,  4500 Main  Street,  Kansas  City,
Missouri 64111, acts as transfer agent and dividend-paying  agent for the funds.
It provides  facilities,  equipment and personnel to the funds,  and is paid for
such services by the manager.

   
    Certain  recordkeeping and  administrative  services that would otherwise be
performed  by the transfer  agent may be  performed  by an insurance  company or
other  entity  providing  similar  services for various  retirement  plans using
shares  of the  funds as a  funding  medium,  by  broker-dealers  and  financial
advisors  for their  customers  investing  in shares of  American  Century or by
sponsors of multi mutual fund no- or low-transaction  fee programs.  The manager
or an affiliate may enter into contracts to pay them for such  recordkeeping and
administrative services out of its unified management fee.
    

    Although  there is no sales  charge  levied by the  funds,  transactions  in
shares of the funds may be executed by brokers or investment advisors who charge
a transaction-based  fee or other fee for their services.  Such charges may vary
among  broker-dealers and financial advisors,  but in all cases will be retained
by the  broker-dealer or financial  advisor and not remitted to the funds or the
manager.  You  should be aware of the fact that these  transactions  may be made
directly with American Century without incurring such fees.

    From time to time,  special  services  may be  offered to  shareholders  who
maintain  higher  share  balances  in our family of funds.  These  services  may
include the waiver of minimum investment requirements, expedited confirmation of
shareholder  transactions,  newsletters and a team of personal  representatives.
Any expenses associated with these special services will be paid by the manager.

    The manager and  transfer  agent are both wholly  owned by American  Century
Companies, Inc. James E. Stowers Jr., Chairman of the funds' Board of Directors,
controls  American Century Companies by virtue of his ownership of a majority of
its common stock.

   
    Pursuant  to  a  Sub-Administration   Agreement  with  the  manager,   Funds
Distributor,  Inc. (FDI) serves as the  Co-Administrator  for the funds.  FDI is
responsible for (i) providing  certain  officers of the funds and (ii) reviewing
and filing  marketing and sales  literature on behalf of the funds. The fees and
expenses of FDI are paid by the manager out of its unified fee.
    

 DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

   
    The funds' shares are distributed by FDI, a registered broker-dealer. FDI is
a wholly-owned  indirect  subsidiary of Boston  Institutional  Group, Inc. FDI's
principal business address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.  The Investor Class of shares does not pay any commissions or sales loads
to the distributor or to any other broker-dealers or financial intermediaries in
connection with the distribution of fund shares.

    Investors  may  open  accounts  with  American   Century  only  through  the
distributor.  All purchase  transactions in the funds offered by this Prospectus
are  processed  by the  transfer  agent,  which  is  authorized  to  accept  any
instructions relating to fund accounts.  All purchase orders must be accepted by
the  distributor.  All fees and expenses of FDI in acting as distributor for the
funds are paid by the manager.
    

 FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICAN CENTURY

    American  Century World Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,  the issuer of the funds,  was
organized as a Maryland corporation on December 28, 1990.

    The corporation is a diversified,  open-end  management  investment  company
whose  shares  were first  offered in May 1991.  Its  business  and  affairs are
managed by its officers under the direction of its Board of Directors.

    The  principal  office of the funds is  American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street, P.O. Box 419200, Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6200.  All inquiries may be
made by mail to that address,  or by telephone to 1-800-345-2021  (international
calls: 816-531-5575).


30     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


    American  Century World Mutual Funds,  Inc. issues three series of $0.01 par
value  shares.  Each  series  is  commonly  referred  to as a fund.  The  assets
belonging to each series of shares are held separately by the custodian.

   
    American  Century offers four classes of the funds:  an Investor  Class,  an
Institutional  Class, a Service Class,  and an Advisor Class. The shares offered
by this  Prospectus  are  Investor  Class  shares and have no up-front  charges,
commissions, or 12b-1 fees.
    

    The other classes of shares are primarily offered to institutional investors
or  through  institutional  distribution  channels,  such as  employer-sponsored
retirement plans or through banks, broker-dealers,  insurance companies or other
financial  intermediaries.  The other  classes have  different  fees,  expenses,
and/or minimum  investment  requirements than the Investor Class. The difference
in the fee  structures  among  the  classes  is the  result  of  their  separate
arrangements for shareholder and distribution services and not the result of any
difference  in  amounts  charged by the  manager  for core  investment  advisory
services.  Accordingly,  the core  investment  advisory  expenses do not vary by
class.  Different  fees and expenses  will affect  performance.  For  additional
information  concerning  the  other  classes  of  shares  not  offered  by  this
Prospectus,  call us at  1-800-345-3533  or  contact a sales  representative  or
financial intermediary who offers those classes of shares.

   
    Except as described  below,  all classes of shares of a fund have  identical
voting,  dividend,   liquidation  and  other  rights,  preferences,   terms  and
conditions.  The only  differences  among the various classes are (a) each class
may be subject to different  expenses specific to that class, (b) each class has
a different identifying designation or name, (c) each class has exclusive voting
rights with respect to matters solely  affecting such class,  (d) each class may
have different exchange privileges,  and (e) the Institutional Class may provide
for automatic  conversion  from that class into shares of the Investor  Class of
the same fund.

    Each  share,  irrespective  of series or class,  is entitled to one vote for
each dollar of net asset value applicable to such share on all questions, except
for those  matters  that must be voted on  separately  by the series or class of
shares affected.  Matters affecting only one series or class are voted upon only
by that series or class.
    

    Shares have  non-cumulative  voting rights,  which means that the holders of
more than 50% of the votes cast in an election of directors can elect all of the
directors  if  they  choose  to do so,  and in such  event  the  holders  of the
remaining  votes will not be able to elect any person or persons to the Board of
Directors.

    Unless required by the Investment  Company Act, it will not be necessary for
the funds to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result, shareholders may
not vote each year on the election of directors or the  appointment of auditors.
However,  pursuant to the funds' by-laws,  the holders of shares representing at
least  10% of the  votes  entitled  to be cast may  request  the funds to hold a
special meeting of shareholders.  We will assist in the communication with other
shareholders.

    WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ANY OF OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
WITHOUT  SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL  EXCEPT  IN  THOSE  INSTANCES  WHERE  SHAREHOLDER
APPROVAL IS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED.


PROSPECTUS                      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW        31


                                     NOTES


32      NOTES                                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                                     NOTES

                                                                 NOTES       33


P.O. BOX 419200
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
64141-6200

INVESTOR SERVICES:
1-800-345-2021 OR 816-531-5575

AUTOMATED INFORMATION LINE:
1-800-345-8765

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE FOR THE DEAF:
1-800-634-4113 OR 816-444-3485

FAX: 816-340-7962

WWW.AMERICANCENTURY.COM

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

9803           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-11754      Recycled
<PAGE>
                                   PROSPECTUS

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                                   TWENTIETH
                                    CENTURY
                                     GROUP

                             International Growth
                            International Discovery
                               Emerging Markets

ADVISOR CLASS


                         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                                FAMILY OF FUNDS

    American  Century  Investments  offers you nearly 70 fund  choices  covering
stocks, bonds, money markets,  specialty investments and blended portfolios.  To
help you find the funds that may meet your investment  needs,  American  Century
funds  have  been  divided  into  three  groups  based on  investment  style and
objectives. These groups, which appear below, are designed to help simplify your
fund decisions.

                        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Benham                American Century          Twentieth Century
         Group                      Group                      Group
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   MONEY MARKET FUNDS         ASSET ALLOCATION &           GROWTH FUNDS
 GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS          BALANCED FUNDS          INTERNATIONAL FUNDS
 DIVERSIFIED BOND FUNDS   CONSERVATIVE EQUITY FUNDS
  MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS         SPECIALTY FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       International Growth
                                                      International Discovery
                                                         Emerging Markets


   
                                  PROSPECTUS
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                     International Growth * International
                         Discovery * Emerging Markets

                                 ADVISOR CLASS

                   AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.

    American  Century  World Mutual  Funds,  Inc. is a part of American  Century
Investments,  a family of funds that  includes  nearly 70 no-load  and  low-load
mutual funds covering a variety of investment opportunities.  Three of the funds
from our  Twentieth  Century  Group  are  described  in this  Prospectus.  Their
investment  objectives  are  described on page 2 of this  Prospectus.  The other
funds are described in separate prospectuses.

    The funds described in this Prospectus invest primarily in equity securities
of foreign  issuers.  Investment  in  securities  of foreign  issuers  typically
involves a greater degree of risk than investment in domestic securities. Please
read "Risk Factors," page 12.

    Each fund's shares offered by this Prospectus (the Advisor Class shares) are
sold at their net asset value with no sales charges or commissions.  The Advisor
Class  shares are  subject  to Rule  12b-1  services  and  distribution  fees as
described in this Prospectus.

    The Advisor  Class  shares are  intended  for  purchase by  participants  in
employer-sponsored retirement or savings plans and for persons purchasing shares
through   broker-dealers,   banks,   insurance  companies  and  other  financial
intermediaries that provide various administrative and distribution services.

   
    This Prospectus  gives you information  about the funds that you should know
before investing. Please read this Prospectus carefully and retain it for future
reference.  Additional  information  is included in the  Statement of Additional
Information  dated April 1, 1998,  and filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.  It is incorporated  into this Prospectus by reference.  To obtain a
copy without charge, call or write:

                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                       4500 Main Street * P.O. Box 419385
                Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6385 * 1-800-345-3533
                        International calls: 816-531-5575
                     Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
                   1-800-345-1833 * In Missouri: 816-444-3038
                             www.americancentury.com
    

    Additional  information,  including  this  Prospectus  and the  Statement of
Additional Information,  may be obtained by accessing the Web site maintained by
the SEC (www.sec.gov).

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


PROSPECTUS                                                                     1


                      INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND

   
    The investment objective of International Growth is capital growth. The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities that are considered
by the  manager  to have  prospects  for  appreciation.  The  fund  will  invest
primarily in securities of issuers in developed markets.
    


AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY FUND

   
    The investment  objective of International  Discovery is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities of issuers  having
comparatively  smaller  market  capitalizations  (less  than U.S.  $1 billion in
market  capitalization or less than U.S. $500 million in public float). The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.  All such investments will be considered by the investment manager to
have  prospects  for  appreciation.  Due  to  the  risks  associated  with  such
investments, an investment in this fund may be considered speculative.
    

    SHARES OF INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY  EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE  ARE  SUBJECT  TO A  REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED. This redemption fee is retained by the fund and is
intended to discourage  shareholders  from  exchanging or redeeming their shares
shortly after their purchase,  as well as minimize the impact such exchanges and
redemptions have on fund  performance  and, hence, on the other  shareholders of
the fund.

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
EMERGING MARKETS FUND

    The investment  objective of Emerging  Markets is capital  growth.  The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio  of  equity  securities  of  issuers  in
emerging market countries that are considered by the investment  manager to have
prospects for  appreciation.  Due to the risks associated with such investments,
an investment in this fund may be considered speculative.

                There is no assurance that the funds will achieve
                     their respective investment objectives.

NO  PERSON  IS  AUTHORIZED  BY THE  FUNDS  TO GIVE ANY  INFORMATION  OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN OTHER PRINTED
OR WRITTEN MATERIAL ISSUED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE FUNDS, AND YOU SHOULD NOT RELY
ON ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION.


2      INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES                       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
 Investment Objectives of the Funds .......................................    2
 Transaction and Operating Expense Table ..................................    4
 Financial Highlights .....................................................    5
 Performance Information of Other Class ...................................    6
INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS
 Investment Policies of the Funds .........................................    9
    International Growth ..................................................    9
    International Discovery ...............................................    9
    Emerging Markets ......................................................   10
    Policies Applicable to All Funds ......................................   10
 Risk Factors .............................................................   12
    Investing in Foreign Securities Generally .............................   12
    Investing in Smaller Companies ........................................   13
    Investing in Emerging Market Countries ................................   13
    Investing in Lower Quality Debt Instruments ...........................   14
 Other Investment Practices, Their  Characteristics
 and Risks ................................................................   14
    Forward Currency Exchange Contracts ...................................   14
    Indirect Foreign Investment ...........................................   15
    Sovereign Debt Obligations ............................................   15
    Portfolio Turnover ....................................................   15
    Repurchase Agreements .................................................   15
    Futures and Options ...................................................   16
    When-Issued Securities ................................................   16
    Short Sales ...........................................................   16
    Rule 144A Securities ..................................................   16
    Investments in Companies with
       Limited Operating History ..........................................   17
 Performance Advertising ..................................................   17
 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
 How to Purchase and Sell American Century Funds ..........................   19
 How to Exchange from One American Century
 Fund to Another ..........................................................   19
 How to Redeem Shares .....................................................   19
 Special Requirements for Large Redemptions ...............................   20
 Telephone Services .......................................................   20
    Investors Line ........................................................   20
 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
 Share Price ..............................................................   21
    When Share Price Is Determined ........................................   21
    How Share Price Is Determined .........................................   21
    Where to Find Information About Share Price ...........................   22
 Distributions ............................................................   22
 Taxes ....................................................................   22
    Tax-Deferred Accounts .................................................   23
    Taxable Accounts ......................................................   23
 Management ...............................................................   24
    Investment Management .................................................   24
    Code of Ethics ........................................................   25
    Transfer and Administrative Services ..................................   26
 Distribution of Fund Shares ..............................................   26
    Services and Distribution Fees ........................................   26
 Further Information About American Century ...............................   26
    


PROSPECTUS                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS           3


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE

                                                                     International     International     Emerging
                                                                        Growth           Discovery        Markets
<S>                                                                <C>               <C>                <C>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases .............................    none              none            none
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested Dividends ..................    none              none            none
Deferred Sales Load .................................................    none              none            none
Redemption Fee ......................................................    none             none(1)          none
Exchange Fee ........................................................    none              none            none

   
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (as a percentage of net assets):
Management Fees(2) ..................................................  1.12%(3)          1.43%(3)        1.75%(3)
12b-1 Fees(4) .......................................................    0.50%             0.50%           0.50%
Other Expenses(5)                                                        0.00%             0.00%           0.00%
Total Fund Operating Expenses(2)                                       1.62%(3)          1.93%(3)        2.25%(3)

EXAMPLE:
You would pay the following expenses on a              1 year             $16               $19             $23
$1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return and     3 years            51                60              70
redemption at the end of each time period(2):          5 years            88                103             119
                                                      10 years            191               223             256
</TABLE>
- ----------
    

(1)  Shares of International  Discovery exchanged or redeemed within 180 days of
     their  purchase are subject to a redemption fee of 2.0% of the value of the
     shares exchanged or redeemed.  This redemption fee is retained by the fund.
     See "How to Exchange  from One American  Century Fund to Another,"  page 19
     and "How to Redeem Shares," page 19.

   
(2)  Assumes, in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission  guidelines,
     that the  assets  of  International  Growth,  International  Discovery  and
     Emerging  Markets  remain  constant  at  $1,756,574,349,  $626,326,600  and
     $11,829,515, respectively, the assets of the funds as of November 30, 1997.
     A  portion  of the  management  fee may be paid by the  funds'  manager  to
     unaffiliated  third parties who provide  recordkeeping  and  administrative
     services that would  otherwise be performed by an affiliate of the manager.
     See "Management-Transfer and Administrative Services," page 26.
    

(3)  International Growth pays an annual management fee of 1.25% of the first $1
     billion of average net assets,  0.95% of the next $1 billion of average net
     assets,  and 0.85% of average  net assets  over $2  billion;  International
     Discovery pays an annual  management fee of 1.50% of the first $500 million
     of average net assets,  1.15% of the next $500 million  average net assets,
     and 0.95% of average net assets over $1 billion;  and Emerging Markets pays
     an annual  management fee of 1.75% of the first $500 million of average net
     assets,  1.25% of the next $500 million of average net assets, and 1.00% of
     average net assets over $1 billion.

(4)  The 12b-1 fee is designed to permit  investors  to purchase  Advisor  Class
     shares  through  broker-dealers,   banks,  insurance  companies  and  other
     financial  intermediaries.  A portion of the fee is used to compensate them
     for ongoing recordkeeping and administrative  services that would otherwise
     be  performed  by an  affiliate  of the  manager,  and a portion is used to
     compensate  them for  distribution  and  other  shareholder  services.  See
     "Service and Distribution Fees," page 26.

(5)  Other  expenses,  which  includes  the fees and expenses  (including  legal
     counsel  fees) of  those  directors  who are not  "interested  persons"  as
     defined in the Investment Company Act, were less than 0.01 of 1% of average
     net assets for the most recent fiscal year.

    The purpose of this table is to help you  understand  the various  costs and
expenses  that you,  as a  shareholder,  will bear  directly  or  indirectly  in
connection  with an  investment  in the class of shares of the funds  offered by
this  Prospectus.  The  example  set forth  above  assumes  reinvestment  of all
dividends and  distributions  and uses a 5% annual rate of return as required by
SEC regulations.

    NEITHER  THE 5% RATE OF  RETURN  NOR THE  EXPENSES  SHOWN  ABOVE  SHOULD  BE
CONSIDERED  INDICATIONS OF PAST OR FUTURE  RETURNS AND EXPENSES.  ACTUAL RETURNS
AND EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.

    The shares offered by this  Prospectus  are Advisor Class shares.  The funds
offer three other  classes of shares,  one of which is  primarily  available  to
retail  investors  and  two  that  are  primarily   available  to  institutional
investors.  The other  classes have  different fee  structures  than the Advisor
Class.  The difference in the fee structures  among the classes is the result of
their separate  arrangements for shareholder and  distribution  services and not
the  result  of any  difference  in  amounts  charged  by the  manager  for core
investment advisory services. Accordingly, the core investment advisory expenses
do not vary by class. A difference in fees will result in different  performance
for those classes.  For additional  information  about the various classes,  see
"Further Information About American Century," page 26.


4    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                             INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  The sale of the  Advisor  Class of the fund  commenced  on  October  2,  1996.
Performance  information  of the  original  class  of  shares,  which  commenced
operations on May 9, 1991, is presented on page 6.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without charge. The Financial Highlights for the period ended November 30, 1996,
have been audited by other independent  auditors.  The information  presented is
for a share  outstanding  throughout  the period ended  November  30,  except as
noted.

                                                      1997           1996(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ........   $      8.72     $      8.41
                                                -----------     -----------
Income From Investment Operations
   Net Investment Loss ......................         (0.03)          (0.01)(2)
   Net Realized and Unrealized
   Gain on Investment Transactions ..........          1.43            0.32
                                                -----------     -----------
   Total From Investment Operations .........          1.40            0.31
                                                -----------     -----------
Distributions
   From Net Realized Gains on
     Investment Transactions ................         (0.92)           --

Net Asset Value, End of Period ..............   $      9.20     $      8.72
                                                ===========     ===========
   TOTAL RETURN(3) ..........................         17.97%           3.69%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of Operating Expenses to
  Average Net Assets ........................          1.63%           1.67%(4)

Ratio of Net Investment Loss to
  Average Net Assets ........................         (0.21)%    (0.76)%(4)

Portfolio Turnover Rate .....................           163%            158%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded .............   $    0.0069     $    0.0195

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ....   $     9,111     $     3,803

(1) October 2, 1996 (commencement of sale) through November 30, 1996.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(4) Annualized.


PROSPECTUS                                         FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS       5

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                             INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  The Advisor Class of the fund was established September 3, 1996. The financial
information in this table reflects the  performance of the fund's Investor Class
of shares,  which has a total expense ratio that is 0.25% lower than the Advisor
Class.  Had the Advisor Class shares been in existence for the fund for the time
periods presented,  the fund's performance results would be lower as a result of
the additional expense.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                           1997            1996            1995         1994       1993       1992    1991(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
<S>                                   <C>             <C>             <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>      
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period  $    8.73       $    7.51       $    7.47    $    7.34  $    5.79  $    5.33  $    5.10
                                      ---------       ---------       ---------    ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Income From Investment Operations
  Net Investment Income (Loss) .....       --             (0.01)(2)        0.01        (0.04)     (0.04)      0.06       0.01
  Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
  on Investment Transactions .......       1.41            1.24            0.40         0.57       1.78       0.41       0.22
                                      ---------       ---------       ---------    ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Total From Investment Operations .       1.41            1.23            0.41         0.53       1.74       0.47       0.23
                                      ---------       ---------       ---------    ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Distributions
  From Net Investment Income .......       --             (0.01)           --           --        (0.04)     (0.01)      --
  In Excess of Net Investment Income       --              --              --           --        (0.15)     --(3)       --
  From Net Realized Gains
  on Investment Transactions .......      (0.92)           --             (0.37)       (0.40)      --         --         --
                                      ---------       ---------       ---------    ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Total Distributions ..............      (0.92)          (0.01)          (0.37)       (0.40)     (0.19)     (0.01)      --
                                      ---------       ---------       ---------    ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Net Asset Value, End of Period .....  $    9.22       $    8.73       $    7.51    $    7.47  $    7.34  $    5.79  $    5.33
                                      =========       =========       =========    =========  =========  =========  =========
  TOTAL RETURN(4) ..................      18.12%          16.35%           5.93%        7.28%     31.04%      8.77%      4.51%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses
to Average Net Assets ..............       1.38%(5)        1.65%(5)        1.77%        1.84%      1.90%      1.91%      1.93%(6)

Ratio of Net Investment Income
(Loss) to Average Net Assets .......       0.04%          (0.07)%          0.25%       (0.53)%    (0.34)%     0.95%      0.26%(6)

Portfolio Turnover Rate ............        163%            158%            169%         242%       255%       180%        84%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded ....  $  0.0069       $  0.0195       $  0.0020        --(7)      --(7)      --(7)      --(7)

Net Assets, End of Period 
(in thousands) .....................  $1,728,617      $1,342,608      $1,210,442     $1,316,642   $759,238  $215,346    $43,076
</TABLE>
- ----------

(1) May 9, 1991 (inception) through November 30, 1991.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Amount was less than $0.01 per share.

(4) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(5) The manager had voluntarily waived a portion of its management fee effective
    August 1, 1996  through  July 31,  1997.  In absence of the  management  fee
    waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses to average net assets  would have
    been 1.56% and 1.76% for the years ended  November 30, 1997 and November 30,
    1996, respectively.

(6) Annualized.

(7) Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity  security traded
    was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.


6  PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                            INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

  The Advisor Class of the fund was  established  September 3, 1996,  however no
shares  had been  issued  prior to the fund's  fiscal  year end.  The  financial
information in this table reflects the  performance of the fund's Investor Class
of shares,  which has a total expense ratio that is 0.25% lower than the Advisor
Class. Had the Advisor Class been in existence for the fund for the time periods
presented,  the  fund's  performance  results  would be lower as a result of the
additional expense.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                               1997              1996              1995          1994(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
<S>                                            <C>               <C>               <C>            <C>  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Perio .........  $7.60             $5.70             $5.39          $5.00
                                             --------          --------          --------        -------
Income From Investment Operations
  Net Investment Income (Loss) .............. (0.03)           (0.02)(2)           0.03          (0.02)
  Net Realized and Unrealized
  Gain on Investment Transactions ...........  1.31              1.95              0.28           0.41
                                             --------          --------          --------        -------
  Total From Investment Operations ..........  1.28              1.93              0.31           0.39
                                             --------          --------          --------        -------

Distributions
  From Net Investment Income ................ (0.02)            (0.01)              --             --
  In Excess of Net Investment Income ........ (0.02)              --                --
  From Net Realized Gains
  on Investment Transactions ................ (0.32)              --                --             --
                                             --------          --------          --------        -------
  Total Distributions ....................... (0.34)            (0.03)              --             --
                                             --------          --------          --------        -------
Net Asset Value, End of Period ..............  $8.54             $7.60             $5.70          $5.39
                                             ========          ========          ========        =======
  TOTAL RETURN(3) ........................... 17.76%            34.06%             5.75%          7.80%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses
to Average Net Assets .......................1.70%(4)          1.88%(4)            2.00%        2.00%(5)

Ratio of Net Investment Income
(Loss) to Average Net Assets ................ (0.37)%           (0.31)%            0.27%       (0.48)%(5)

Portfolio Turnover Rate .....................  146%              130%              168%            56%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded ............. $0.0054           $0.0054           $0.0040         --(6)

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ....$626,327          $377,128          $114,579       $111,202
</TABLE>
- ----------

(1) April 1, 1994 (inception) through November 30, 1994.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(4) The manager had voluntarily waived a portion of its management fee effective
    August 1, 1996  through  July 31,  1997.  In absence of the  management  fee
    waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses to average net assets  would have
    been 1.87%  and1.99%  for the years ended  November  30,  1997 and  November
    30,1996, respectively.

(5) Annualized.

(6) Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity  security traded
    was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.


PROSPECTUS                   PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS            7


                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                               EMERGING MARKETS

  The Advisor Class of the fund was established  September 30, 1997,  however no
shares  had been  issued  prior to the fund's  fiscal  year end.  The  financial
information in this table reflects the  performance of the fund's Investor Class
of shares,  which has a total expense ratio that is 0.25% lower than the Advisor
Class. Had the Advisor Class been in existence for the fund for the time periods
presented,  the  fund's  performance  results  would be lower as a result of the
additional expense.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the period ended  November 30, 1997,  have been
audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose report  thereon
appears in the fund's annual report, which is incorporated by reference into the
Statement of  Additional  Information.  The annual  report  contains  additional
performance  information  and will be made  available  upon  request and without
charge.  The  information  presented is for a share  outstanding  throughout the
period ended November 30.

                                                                      1997(1)
PER-SHARE DATA
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ................................  $5.00
                                                                     ---------
Loss From Investment Operations
  Net Investment Loss(2) ............................................  (0.01)

  Net Realized and Unrealized Loss
  on Investment Transactions ........................................  (0.84)
                                                                     ---------
Total From Investment Operations ....................................  (0.85)
                                                                     ---------
Net Asset Value, End of Period ......................................  $4.15
                                                                     =========
  TOTAL RETURN(3) ................................................... (17.00)%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets ................... 2.00%(4)

Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets ..................(0.74)%(4)

Portfolio Turnover Rate .............................................   36%

Average Commission Paid per Share of Equity Security Traded ......... $0.0012

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ............................ $11,830
- ----------

(1) September 30, 1997 (inception) through November 30, 1997.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(4) Annualized.
    

8    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                        INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS

 INVESTMENT POLICIES OF THE FUNDS

   
    The funds have adopted certain investment restrictions that are set forth in
the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Those  restrictions,  as well as the
investment objectives of the funds identified on page 2 of this Prospectus,  and
any other investment  policies designated as "fundamental" in this Prospectus or
in  the  Statement  of  Additional   Information,   cannot  be  changed  without
shareholder approval.  The funds have implemented additional investment policies
and  practices  to guide their  activities  in the  pursuit of their  respective
investment  objectives.  These  policies  and  practices,  which  are  described
throughout this Prospectus,  are not designated as fundamental  policies and may
be changed without shareholder approval.
    

    YOU SHOULD READ AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION UNDER "RISK FACTORS,"
PAGE 12, BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS.

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

    The investment objective of the International Growth Fund is capital growth.
The fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in
securities  of foreign  issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical
standards  of selection  (relating  primarily  to  acceleration  of earnings and
revenues) and have, in the opinion of the manager,  potential for  appreciation.
The fund will invest  primarily in issuers in developed  markets.  The fund will
invest primarily in equity securities (defined to include equity equivalents) of
such  issuers  and will  attempt  to stay  fully  invested  in such  securities,
regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

    Although the primary investment of the fund will be equity  securities,  the
fund  may  also  invest  in  other  types  of  securities  consistent  with  the
accomplishment  of the fund's  objectives.  When the manager  believes  that the
total  return  potential  of other  securities  equals or exceeds the  potential
return  of  equity  securities,  the fund  may  invest  up to 35% in such  other
securities.

    The  other  securities  the fund may  invest  in are  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their  agencies.  The fund  will  limit  its  purchases  of debt  securities  to
investment-grade  obligations.  For  long-term  debt  obligations  this includes
securities that are rated Baa or better by Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc. or
BBB or  better  by  Standard  & Poor's  Corporation,  or that are not  rated but
considered  by the manager to be of  equivalent  quality.  According to Moody's,
bonds rated Baa are medium-grade and possess some speculative characteristics. A
BBB rating by S&P indicates S&P's belief that a security exhibits a satisfactory
degree of safety and capacity for repayment,  but is more  vulnerable to adverse
economic   conditions   or  changing   circumstances   than  is  the  case  with
higher-quality  debt securities.  See "An Explanation Of Fixed Income Securities
Ratings" in the Statement of Additional Information.

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

    The  investment  objective of the  International  Discovery  Fund is capital
growth.  The fund will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing
primarily in an  internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities of
issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical  standards of selection
(relating  primarily to  acceleration  of earnings and revenues).  The fund will
invest its assets  primarily in equity  securities  of smaller  foreign  issuers
(those issuers having,  at the time of investment,  a market  capitalization  of
less than U.S. $1 billion or a public float of less than U.S. $500 million). The
"public  float" of an issuer is defined  as the  aggregate  market  value of the
issuer's  outstanding  securities held by non-affiliates of the issuer. The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.

    DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGY,
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE  FOR ALL  INVESTORS.  See "Risk
Factors," page 12.

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,


PROSPECTUS                          INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS           9


governments and governmental entities, as well as corporations, partnerships and
other business organizations.  The manager believes that common stocks and other
equity and equity equivalent  securities ordinarily offer the greatest potential
for  capital  appreciation  and  will  constitute  the  majority  of the  fund's
investments.  The fund may invest, however, in any security the manager believes
has the potential for capital  appreciation.  The other  securities the fund may
invest in include bonds,  notes and debt securities of companies and obligations
of domestic or foreign governments and their agencies.  The fund will attempt to
stay  fully  invested  regardless  of the  movement  of stock  and  bond  prices
generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below-investment-grade  fixed income  securities.  See "An  Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

    To enhance the fund's  liquidity,  at least 50% of the fund's assets will be
invested in developed market countries at all times.  However, the percentage of
the assets of the fund invested in developed and emerging  markets will vary as,
in the opinion of the manager,  market conditions  warrant.  No more than 15% of
the fund's assets may be invested in illiquid investments at any time.

EMERGING MARKETS

    The investment objective of the Emerging Markets Fund is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities  that meet certain
fundamental  and  technical   standards  of  selection  (relating  primarily  to
acceleration  of  earnings  and  revenues).  The fund  will  invest  its  assets
primarily  in the  securities  of  issuers in  emerging  market  countries.  The
securities  in which the fund may  invest  include  not only the  securities  of
issuers  located or principally  traded in emerging market  countries,  but also
include the  securities of issuers  which derive a significant  portion of their
business from emerging market countries. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH  INVESTING  IN  EMERGING  MARKETS,  AN  INVESTMENT  IN THE  FUND MAY NOT BE
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL INVESTORS. See "Risk Factors," page 12

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,  governments and governmental entities, as well
as  corporations,  partnerships  and other business  organizations.  The manager
believes  that common stocks and other equity and equity  equivalent  securities
ordinarily  offer the  greatest  potential  for  capital  appreciation  and will
constitute the majority of the fund's investments. The fund may invest, however,
in any security the manager believes has the potential for capital appreciation.
The other  securities  the fund may  invest  in  include  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their agencies.  The fund will attempt to stay fully invested  regardless of the
movement of stock and bond prices generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below  investment  grade fixed income  securities.  See "An Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

POLICIES APPLICABLE TO ALL FUNDS

    Under normal conditions, each fund will invest at least 65% of its assets in
equity and equity equivalent securities of issuers from at least three countries
outside of the United States.  While  securities of U.S. issuers may be included
in the portfolio  from time to time, it is the primary  intent of the manager to
diversify  investments  in a fund across a broad range of foreign  issuers.  The
manager defines "foreign issuer" as


10     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS              AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


an issuer of securities that is domiciled outside the United States,  derives at
least 50% of its total  revenue  from  production  or sales  outside  the United
States, or whose principal trading market is outside the United States.

    The  funds  may  make  foreign   investments   either  directly  in  foreign
securities, or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares
or similar instruments (DRs) for foreign securities. DRs are securities that are
listed on  exchanges  or quoted in  over-the-counter  markets in one country but
represent  shares of issuers  domiciled in another  country.  The funds may also
purchase  securities  of such  issuers  in  foreign  markets,  either on foreign
securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets.

    The funds may also invest in other equity securities and equity equivalents.
Other equity securities and equity  equivalents  include  securities that permit
the funds to receive an equity interest in an issuer, the opportunity to acquire
an equity  interest in an issuer,  or the opportunity to receive a return on its
investment  that  permits  the fund to benefit  from the growth over time in the
equity of an issuer.  Examples of other equity securities and equity equivalents
are  preferred   stock,   convertible   preferred  stock  and  convertible  debt
securities. Equity equivalents may also include securities whose value or return
is derived from the value or return of a different  security.  An example of one
type of  derivative  security  in which the funds might  invest is a  depositary
receipt.

    Notwithstanding  the  funds'  respective  investment  objectives  of capital
growth,  under  exceptional  market  or  economic  conditions,   each  fund  may
temporarily  invest  all or a  substantial  portion  of its  assets  in  cash or
investment-grade  short-term securities  (denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign
currencies).

    To the extent a fund assumes a defensive  position,  it will not be pursuing
its investment objective of capital growth.

    In addition to other  factors that will affect  their value,  the value of a
fund's investments in fixed income securities will change as prevailing interest
rates change.  In general,  the prices of such  securities  vary  inversely with
interest rates. As prevailing interest rates fall, the prices of bonds and other
securities  that trade on a yield basis rise.  When  prevailing  interest  rates
rise, bond prices generally fall. These changes in value may, depending upon the
particular amount and type of fixed income securities holdings of a fund, impact
the net asset value of that fund's shares.  See "How Share Price Is Determined,"
page 21.

    In order to  achieve  maximum  investment  flexibility,  the funds  have not
established   geographic   limits   on   asset   distribution,   on   either   a
country-by-country or region-by-region basis. The manager expects to invest both
in issuers in developed markets (such as Germany,  the United Kingdom and Japan)
and in issuers in emerging market countries.

    The funds consider "emerging market countries" to include all countries that
are  generally  considered  to  be  developing  or  emerging  countries  by  the
International Bank for  Reconstruction and Development  (commonly referred to as
the World Bank) and the  International  Finance  Corporation  (IFC),  as well as
countries that are  classified by the United  Nations as developing.  Currently,
the  countries  not  included in this  category are the United  States,  Canada,
Japan, the United Kingdom,  Germany,  Austria,  France, Italy,  Ireland,  Spain,
Belgium,  the  Netherlands,   Switzerland,  Sweden,  Finland,  Norway,  Denmark,
Australia and New Zealand. In addition, as used in this Prospectus,  "securities
of issuers in emerging  market  countries"  means (i)  securities of issuers the
principal  securities  trading market for which is an emerging  market  country,
(ii) securities,  regardless of where traded, of issuers that derive 50% or more
of their total revenue from either goods or services produced in emerging market
countries or sales made in emerging  market  countries,  or (iii)  securities of
issuers having their principal place of business or principal office in emerging
market countries.

    The principal  criteria for inclusion of a security in a fund's portfolio is
its ability to meet the fundamental and technical standards of selection and, in
the opinion of the manager, to achieve better-than-average  appreciation. If, in
the opinion of the manager,  a particular  security  satisfies  these  principal
criteria,  the security may be included in the fund's  portfolio,  regardless of
the location of the issuer or the  percentage of the fund's  investments  in the
issuer's country (subject to the investment  policies of the particular fund) or
region.


PROSPECTUS                               INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS     11


    At the same time, however, the manager recognizes that both the selection of
a fund's  individual  securities  and the allocation of the  portfolio's  assets
across  different  countries  and regions are  important  factors in managing an
international  portfolio.  For this  reason,  the manager  will also  consider a
number of other factors in making investment selections including: the prospects
for relative economic growth among countries or regions,  economic and political
conditions,  expected  inflation rates,  currency exchange  fluctuations and tax
considerations.

RISK FACTORS

INVESTING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES GENERALLY

    Investing in securities of foreign issuers generally  involves greater risks
than investing in the securities of domestic  companies.  As with any investment
in  securities,  the value of an investment in the funds can decrease as well as
increase,  depending  upon a variety of factors  which may affect the values and
income generated by the funds' portfolio securities.  Potential investors should
carefully consider the following factors:

    Currency Risk. The value of the foreign investments held by the funds may be
significantly  affected by changes in currency  exchange rates. The dollar value
of a foreign  security  generally  decreases  when the value of the dollar rises
against the foreign  currency in which the security is denominated  and tends to
increase when the value of the dollar falls against such currency.  In addition,
the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other  expenses  incurred
in converting  between various  currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign
securities and by currency restrictions,  exchange control regulation,  currency
devaluations and political developments.

    Political And Economic Risk. The economies of many of the countries in which
the funds invest are not as  developed  as the economy of the United  States and
may  be  subject  to  significantly   different  forces.   Political  or  social
instability,  expropriation,  nationalization,  or  confiscatory  taxation,  and
limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, could also adversely affect
the value of investments.  Further,  the funds may encounter  difficulties or be
unable to enforce ownership rights, pursue legal remedies or obtain judgments in
foreign courts.

    Regulatory  Risk.  Foreign  companies  are  generally  not  subject  to  the
regulatory  controls  imposed on U.S.  issuers  and, in  general,  there is less
publicly available  information about foreign securities than is available about
domestic  securities.   Many  foreign  companies  are  not  subject  to  uniform
accounting,   auditing  and  financial   reporting   standards,   practices  and
requirements  comparable to those applicable to domestic companies.  Income from
foreign securities owned by the funds may be reduced by a withholding tax at the
source which would reduce dividend income payable to shareholders.  See "Taxes,"
page 22.

    Market And Trading Risk.  Brokerage  commission rates in foreign  countries,
which are generally  fixed rather than subject to  negotiation  as in the United
States, are likely to be higher. The securities markets in many of the countries
in which the funds invest will have  substantially  less trading volume than the
principal U.S. markets.  As a result,  the securities of some companies in these
countries may be less liquid and more volatile than comparable U.S.  securities.
Furthermore,  one securities  broker may represent all or a significant  part of
the trading  volume in a particular  country,  resulting in higher trading costs
and decreased liquidity due to a lack of alternative trading partners.  There is
generally less government regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges,
brokers  and  issuers  which  may  make  it  difficult  to  enforce  contractual
obligations.

    Clearance  And  Settlement  Risk.   Foreign  securities  markets  also  have
different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have
been times  when  settlements  have been  unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities  transactions,  making it  difficult  to conduct  such  transactions.
Delays in clearance and settlement could result in temporary periods when assets
of the funds are  uninvested and no return is earned  thereon.  The inability of
the funds to make intended  security  purchases due to clearance and  settlement
problems  could  cause the funds to miss  attractive  investment  opportunities.
Inability to dispose of portfolio  securities  due to clearance  and  settlement
problems  could result either in losses to the funds due to subsequent  declines
in value of the  portfolio  security or, if the fund has entered into a contract
to sell the security, liability to the purchaser.


12      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
    Ownership  Risk.  Evidence of securities  ownership may be uncertain in many
foreign countries. In many of these countries,  the most notable of which is the
Russian Federation,  the ultimate evidence of securities  ownership is the share
register held by the issuing company or its registrar.  While some companies may
issue share  certificates  or provide  extracts of the company's share register,
these  are  not  negotiable  instruments  and  are  not  effective  evidence  of
securities  ownership.  In an ownership dispute, the company's share register is
controlling.  As a result,  there is a risk that a fund's trade details could be
incorrectly or  fraudulently  entered on the issuer's share register at the time
of the  transaction,  or that a fund's  ownership  position could  thereafter be
altered or deleted  entirely  resulting  in a loss to the fund.  While the funds
intend to invest  directly in Russian  companies  which  utilize an  independent
registrar,  there can be no assurance that such investments will not result in a
loss to the funds.
    

    As a result,  these funds are  intended  for  aggressive  investors  seeking
significant  gains through  investments in foreign  securities.  Those investors
must be willing and able to accept the  significantly  greater risks  associated
with the  investment  strategy that the funds will pursue.  An investment in the
funds  should  not  be  considered  a  complete  investment  program  and is not
appropriate for individuals with limited investment  resources or who are unable
to tolerate fluctuations in the value of their investment.

INVESTING IN SMALLER COMPANIES

    International  Discovery  will invest  primarily in  securities of companies
having, at the time of investment,  a market capitalization of less than U.S. $1
billion  or a  public  float of less  than  U.S.  $500  million.  These  smaller
companies may present greater  opportunities for capital  appreciation,  but may
also involve greater risks than large,  mature issuers.  Such companies may have
limited product lines, markets or financial resources,  and their securities may
trade less  frequently  and in more limited volume than the securities of larger
companies. In addition,  available information regarding these smaller companies
may be less available and, when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.  The
securities of such companies may also be more likely to be delisted from trading
on their  primary  domestic  exchange.  As a result,  the  securities of smaller
companies may experience  significantly more price volatility and less liquidity
than securities of larger  companies,  and this volatility and limited liquidity
may be reflected in the net asset value of the fund.

INVESTING IN EMERGING MARKET COUNTRIES

    Each of the funds  included in this  Prospectus  may invest in securities of
issuers in emerging market  countries.  Investing in emerging  market  countries
involves exposure to significantly  higher risk than investing in countries with
developed markets.  Emerging market countries may have economic  structures that
are generally less diverse and mature and political systems that can be expected
to be less stable than those of developed countries.

    Securities  prices in emerging market  countries can be  significantly  more
volatile than in developed  countries,  reflecting the greater  uncertainties of
investing in lesser  developed  markets and economies.  In particular,  emerging
market countries may have relatively unstable  governments,  and may present the
risk of nationalization of businesses, expropriation,  confiscatory taxation or,
in certain instances,  reversion to closed market,  centrally planned economies.
Such countries may also have  restrictions on foreign  ownership or prohibitions
on the  repatriation of assets,  and may have less protection of property rights
than developed countries.

    The economies of emerging  market  countries may be  predominantly  based on
only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities or on
international aid or development assistance, may be highly vulnerable to changes
in local or global  trade  conditions,  and may suffer from extreme and volatile
debt burdens or inflation  rates.  In addition,  securities  markets in emerging
market  countries  may trade a small number of  securities  and may be unable to
respond effectively to increases in trading volume,  potentially  resulting in a
lack of liquidity and greater  volatility  in the price of securities  traded on
those markets.

    The  funds may not  always  purchase  securities  on the  principal  market.
Depositary receipts, depositary shares, or other equity equivalents (DRs) may be
purchased if considered to be more attractive than the


PROSPECTUS                              INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS       13


underlying  securities.  DRs are  typically  issued  by a bank or trust  company
evidencing  ownership of an underlying  foreign  security.  In emerging  markets
countries,  the funds may invest in DRs which are  structured by a bank or trust
company without the sponsorship of the underlying foreign issuer. In addition to
the risks of foreign investment  applicable to the underlying  securities,  such
unsponsored DRs may also be subject to the risks that the foreign issuer may not
be  obliged to  cooperate  with the bank,  may not  provide  financial  or other
information  to the bank, or may dispute or refuse to recognize the ownership of
the underlying securities which may result in a loss of the fund's investment.

INVESTING IN LOWER-QUALITY DEBT INSTRUMENTS

    There are no credit,  maturity  or  investment  amount  restrictions  on the
bonds,   corporate  debt  securities,   and  government   obligations  in  which
International  Discovery  and  Emerging  Markets  may invest.  Debt  securities,
especially those in emerging market countries,  may be of poor quality,  unrated
and speculative in nature.  Debt  securities  rated lower than Baa by Moody's or
BBB by S&P or  their  equivalent,  sometimes  referred  to as  junk  bonds,  are
considered by many to be predominately speculative. See "An Explanation of Fixed
Income Securities Ratings" in the Statement of Additional  Information.  Changes
in  economic  conditions  or other  circumstances  are more  likely to lead to a
weakened  capacity to make  principal and interest  payments on such  securities
than is the case  with  higher-quality  debt  securities.  Regardless  of rating
levels, all debt securities  considered for purchase by the fund are analyzed by
the manager to determine,  to the extent reasonably  possible,  that the planned
investment is sound given the investment objective of the fund.


OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES, THEIR
CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKS

   
    For additional information,  see "Additional Investment Restrictions" in the
Statement of Additional Information.
    

FORWARD CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

   
    Some of the  foreign  securities  held by the  funds may be  denominated  in
foreign  currencies.  Other  securities,  such as  depositary  receipts,  may be
denominated  in  U.S.  dollars,  but  have a  value  that  is  dependent  on the
performance  of a  foreign  security,  as  valued  in the  currency  of its home
country. As a result, the value of a fund's portfolio may be affected by changes
in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar, as well as
by changes in the market values of the securities themselves. The performance of
foreign  currencies  relative to the U.S.  dollar may be a factor in the overall
performance of a fund.

    To protect against adverse  movements in exchange rates between  currencies,
the funds may, for hedging purposes only,  enter into forward currency  exchange
contracts.  A forward currency exchange contract  obligates the fund to purchase
or sell a specific currency at a future date at a specific price.
    

    A fund may elect to enter into a forward  currency  exchange  contract  with
respect to a specific  purchase  or sale of a security,  or with  respect to the
fund's portfolio positions generally.

   
    By entering into a forward  currency  exchange  contract with respect to the
specific  purchase or sale of a security  denominated in a foreign  currency,  a
fund can "lock in" an exchange rate between the trade and  settlement  dates for
that purchase or sale.  This practice is sometimes  referred to as  "transaction
hedging." Each fund may enter into transaction hedging contracts with respect to
all or a substantial portion of its foreign securities trades.

    When the manager  believes  that a particular  currency may decline in value
compared to the U.S.  dollar,  a fund may enter into forward  currency  exchange
contracts  to sell the value of some or all of the fund's  portfolio  securities
either  denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.  This practice
is  sometimes  referred to as  "portfolio  hedging." A fund may not enter into a
portfolio  hedging  transaction where it would be obligated to deliver an amount
of foreign currency in excess of the aggregate value of its portfolio securities
or other assets denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.

    Each  fund  will  make  use  of  portfolio  hedging  to  the  extent  deemed
appropriate by the manager.  However,  it is anticipated  that a fund will enter
into portfolio hedges much less frequently than transaction hedges.

    If a fund enters into a forward currency exchange  contract,  the fund, when
required, will instruct its cus-
    

14     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


todian bank to  segregate  cash or liquid  high-grade  securities  in a separate
account in an amount  sufficient  to cover its  obligation  under the  contract.
Those assets will be valued at market daily,  and if the value of the segregated
securities  declines,  additional  cash or securities  will be added so that the
value of the  account is not less than the amount of the fund's  commitment.  At
any given  time,  no more than 10% of a fund's  assets  will be  committed  to a
segregated account in connection with portfolio hedging transactions.

   
    Predicting the relative future values of currencies is very  difficult,  and
there is no  assurance  that any  attempt  to  protect  a fund  against  adverse
currency  movements through the use of forward currency exchange  contracts will
be successful. In addition, the use of forward currency exchange contracts tends
to limit the  potential  gains that might  result from a positive  change in the
relationship between the foreign currency and the U.S. dollar.
    

INDIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT

    Subject to certain  restrictions  contained in the  Investment  Company Act,
each  fund may  invest  up to 10% of its  assets in  certain  foreign  countries
indirectly  through  investment  funds  and  registered   investment   companies
authorized  to invest in those  countries.  If the  funds  invest in  investment
companies,  the funds will bear their proportionate shares of the costs incurred
by such companies, including investment advisory fees, if any.

SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS

    The funds may purchase  sovereign debt  instruments  issued or guaranteed by
foreign  governments  or  their  agencies,  including  debt of  emerging  market
countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other
types of debt instruments such as loans or loan  participations.  Sovereign debt
of emerging market countries may involve a high degree of risk and may present a
risk of default or renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

    The  portfolio  turnover  rates of the  funds  are  shown  in the  financial
information of this Prospectus.

    Investment  decisions  to  purchase  and sell  securities  are  based on the
anticipated contribution of the security in question to a fund's objectives. The
manager  believes  that the rate of  portfolio  turnover is  irrelevant  when it
determines a change is in order to achieve those  objectives  and,  accordingly,
the annual portfolio turnover rate cannot be anticipated.

    The portfolio  turnover of a fund may be higher than other mutual funds with
similar investment  objectives.  Higher turnover would generate  correspondingly
greater  brokerage  commissions  that the funds pay directly.  Higher  portfolio
turnover may also increase the  likelihood of realized  capital  gains,  if any,
distributed by the fund. See "Taxes," page 22.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

   
    Each fund may invest in repurchase agreements when such transactions present
an attractive  short-term return on cash that is not otherwise  committed to the
purchase of securities pursuant to the investment policies of that fund.

    A  repurchase  agreement  occurs  when,  at the time the fund  purchases  an
interest-bearing  obligation,  the seller (a bank or a broker-dealer  registered
under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934)  agrees  to  repurchase  it on a
specified  date in the future at an  agreed-upon  price.  The  repurchase  price
reflects  an  agreed-upon  interest  rate  during the time the  fund's  money is
invested in the security.

    Since  the  security  purchased  constitutes  security  for  the  repurchase
obligation,  a repurchase  agreement can be considered a loan  collateralized by
the security purchased.  The fund's risk is the ability of the seller to pay the
agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the
fund may incur costs in  disposing  of the  collateral,  which would  reduce the
amount realized  thereon.  If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws,
the  disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited.  To the extent the
value of the security decreases, the fund could experience a loss.

    The funds will limit repurchase agreement  transactions to securities issued
by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities,  and will enter into
such  transactions  only with those banks and securities  dealers who are deemed
creditworthy pursuant to criteria adopted by the funds' Board of Directors.
    


PROSPECTUS                             INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS       15


   
FUTURES AND OPTIONS

    The funds may invest in financial futures  contracts and options thereon.  A
financial  futures  contract  is an  agreement  to take or  make  delivery  of a
financial  asset or an amount of cash, as specified in the applicable  contract,
at some time in the future.  The value of the asset or cash to be  delivered  at
the end of the contract period is calculated  based upon the difference in value
between  the  making of the  contract  and the end of the  contract  period of a
financial index, indicator or security underlying the futures contract.

    Rather than  actually  purchasing a financial  asset (e.g.,  a long or short
term treasury  security) or all of the securities  contained in a specific index
(e.g., the S&P 500), the manager may choose to purchase a futures contract which
reflects the value of such securities or index. For example,  an S&P 500 futures
contract  reflects the value of the  underlying  companies that comprise the S&P
500  Composite  Stock Price Index.  If the  aggregate  market value of the index
securities  increases  or  decreases  during the  contract  period of an S&P 500
futures contract, the amount of cash to be paid to the contractholder at the end
of the period  would  correspondingly  increase or  decrease.  As a result,  the
manager is able to expose to the  market  cash that is held by the funds to meet
anticipated redemptions or for future investment opportunities.  Because futures
contracts  generally settle more quickly than their underlying  securities,  the
manager believes that the use of futures and options thereon allows the funds to
be fully invested while maintaining the needed liquidity.

    The funds will not  purchase  leveraged  futures.  When a fund enters into a
futures  contract,  it  must  make  a  deposit  of  cash  or  high-quality  debt
securities,  known as "initial  margin," as partial security for its performance
under the  contract.  As the value of the  contract  fluctuates,  a party to the
contract may be required to make additional margin payments, known as "variation
margin," to cover a portion of such  fluctuation.  A fund will also deposit in a
segregated  account with its custodian bank cash or high-quality debt securities
in an amount equal to the fund's payment  obligation under the futures contract,
less any initial or variation  margin.  For options sold, a fund will  segregate
cash or  high-quality  debt  securities  equal to the  value  of the  securities
underlying the option unless the option is otherwise covered.
    

WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES

   
    Each fund may  purchase  new issues of  securities  on a  when-issued  basis
without limit when, in the opinion of the manager,  such  purchases will further
the investment  objectives of the fund.  The price of when-issued  securities is
established  at the time the  commitment  to  purchase  is  made.  In  developed
markets,  delivery of and payment for these securities  typically occur 15 to 45
days after the commitment to purchase. In emerging markets, delivery and payment
may take significantly longer.
    

    Market rates of interest on debt  securities  at the time of delivery may be
higher  or  lower  than  those  contracted  for  on  the  when-issued  security.
Accordingly,  the value of such  security may decline  prior to delivery,  which
could result in a loss to the fund. A separate  account for each fund consisting
of cash or  high-quality  liquid debt  securities in an amount at least equal to
the  when-issued  commitments  will  be  established  and  maintained  with  the
custodian. No income will accrue to the fund prior to delivery.

SHORT SALES

    A fund may engage in short sales if, at the time of the short sale, the fund
owns or has the right to acquire securities equivalent in kind and amount to the
securities being sold short. Such  transactions  allow the fund to hedge against
price fluctuations by locking in a sale price for securities it does not wish to
sell immediately.

    A fund may make a short sale when it wants to sell the security it owns at a
current  attractive  price, but also wishes to defer recognition of gain or loss
for federal  income tax purposes and for purposes of  satisfying  certain  tests
applicable to regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code and
Regulations.

RULE 144A SECURITIES

    The funds may, from time to time,  purchase Rule 144A  securities  when they
present  attractive  investment  opportunities  that  otherwise  meet the funds'
criteria for selection.  Rule 144A  securities are securities that are privately
placed with and traded among


16           INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


qualified  institutional investors rather than the general public. Although Rule
144A securities are considered "restricted securities," they are not necessarily
illiquid.

    With respect to securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A, the staff of
the SEC has taken the  position  that the  liquidity of such  securities  in the
portfolio of a fund offering redeemable securities is a question of fact for the
Board  of  Directors  to  determine,  such  determination  to be  based  upon  a
consideration  of the readily  available  trading  markets and the review of any
contractual  restrictions.  The staff also  acknowledges  that,  while the Board
retains ultimate  responsibility,  it may delegate this function to the manager.
Accordingly, the Board has established guidelines and procedures for determining
the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and has delegated the day-to-day  function
of determining the liquidity of Rule 144A  securities to the manager.  The Board
retains the  responsibility to monitor the  implementation of the guidelines and
procedures it has adopted.

    Since the  secondary  market  for such  securities  is  limited  to  certain
qualified  institutional  investors,  the  liquidity of such  securities  may be
limited accordingly and a fund may, from time to time, hold a Rule 144A security
that is illiquid. In such an event, the fund's manager will consider appropriate
remedies to minimize  the effect on such  fund's  liquidity.  No fund may invest
more than 15% of its assets in illiquid  securities  (securities that may not be
sold within seven days at  approximately  the price used in determining  the net
asset value of fund shares).

   
INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES WITH LIMITED OPERATING HISTORIES

    The funds may invest in the  securities  of issuers with  limited  operating
histories.  The manager  considers an issuer to have a limited operating history
if that issuer has a record of less than three years of continuous operation.

    Investments  in securities of issuers with limited  operating  histories may
involve greater risks than investments in securities of more mature issuers.  By
their  nature,  such issuers  present  limited  operating  history and financial
information upon which the manager may base its investment decision on behalf of
the funds. In addition,  financial and other information regarding such issuers,
when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.

    International Growth will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the
securities   of  issuers  with  less  than  a  three-year   operating   history.
International  Discovery  and Emerging  Markets will not invest more than 10% of
their total  assets in the  securities  of issuers  with less than a  three-year
operating  history.  The manager  will  consider  periods of capital  formation,
incubation, consolidation, and research and development in determining whether a
particular issuer has a record of three years of continuous operation.
    


 PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

   
    From  time  to  time,  the  funds  may  advertise   performance  data.  Fund
performance  may be shown by presenting  one or more  performance  measurements,
including  cumulative  total return or average annual total return.  Performance
data may be quoted separately for the Advisor Class and for the other classes.
    

    Cumulative  total  return data is computed by  considering  all  elements of
return,  including  reinvestment  of dividends and capital gains  distributions,
over a stated  period of time.  Average  annual  total return is  determined  by
computing  the annual  compound  return over a stated  period of time that would
have  produced  the fund's  cumulative  total return over the same period if the
fund's performance had remained constant throughout.

   
    The funds may also include in advertisements data comparing performance with
the performance of non-related  investment media,  published  editorial comments
and performance  rankings compiled by independent  organizations (such as Lipper
Analytical  Services,  Inc.) and  publications  that monitor the  performance of
mutual  funds.  Performance  information  may be  quoted  numerically  or may be
presented in a table, graph or other illustration. In addition, fund performance
may be  compared  to  well-known  indices of market  performance  including  the
Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Dow Jones World Index, the IFC Global Composite
Index and the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe,  Australia,  Far East
Index (EAFE Index). Fund performance may also be
    


PROSPECTUS                               INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS      17


   
compared,  on a relative basis, to other funds in our fund family. This relative
comparison, which may be based upon historical fund performance or historical or
expected volatility or other fund characteristics, may be presented numerically,
graphically or in text.  Fund  performance  may also be combined or blended with
other funds in our fund family, and that combined or blended  performance may be
compared to the same indices to which individual funds may be compared.
    

    All performance  information advertised by the funds is historical in nature
and is not intended to represent or guarantee future results.  The value of fund
shares when redeemed may be more or less than their original cost.


18     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS             AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                              HOW TO INVEST WITH
                         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

   
    The following sections explain how to purchase,  exchange and redeem Advisor
Class shares of the funds offered by this Prospectus.
    

 HOW TO PURCHASE AND SELL AMERICAN
 CENTURY FUNDS

    One or more of the funds  offered  by this  Prospectus  is  available  as an
investment  option under your  employer-sponsored  retirement or savings plan or
through  or in  connection  with a  program,  product  or  service  offered by a
financial  intermediary,  such as a bank,  broker-dealer  or insurance  company.
Since all records of your share  ownership are  maintained by your plan sponsor,
plan  recordkeeper,  or other  financial  intermediary,  all orders to purchase,
exchange and redeem shares must be made through your employer or other financial
intermediary, as applicable.

    If  you  are   purchasing   through  a  retirement  or  savings  plan,   the
administrator of your plan or your employee benefits office can provide you with
information  on how to  participate  in your  plan  and how to  select  American
Century funds as an investment option.

    If you are purchasing through a financial  intermediary,  you should contact
your service  representative at the financial intermediary for information about
how to select American Century funds.

    If you have questions about a fund, see "Investment  Policies of the Funds,"
page  9,  or  call  one  of  our  Institutional   Service   Representatives   at
1-800-345-3533.

    Orders to purchase shares are effective on the day we receive  payment.  See
"When Share Price is Determined," page 21.

    We may  discontinue  offering shares  generally in the funds  (including any
class  of  shares  of a fund)  or in any  particular  state  without  notice  to
shareholders.

   
    To reduce  expenses and  demonstrate  respect for our  environment,  we have
initiated a project  through which we will  eliminate  duplicate  copies of most
financial  reports and  prospectuses  to most  households  and  deliver  account
statements to most households in a single envelope,  even if they have more than
one  account.  If you would like  additional  copies of  financial  reports  and
prospectuses or separate mailing of account statements, please call us.
    

 HOW TO EXCHANGE FROM ONE AMERICAN CENTURY
 FUND TO ANOTHER

    Your plan or program  may  permit you to  exchange  your  investment  in the
shares  of a fund for  shares  of  another  fund in our  family.  See your  plan
administrator, employee benefits office or financial intermediary for details on
the rules in your plan governing exchanges.

    Exchanges are made at the respective  net asset values,  next computed after
receipt of the exchange  instruction by us. If, in any 90-day period,  the total
of  the  exchanges  and  redemptions  from  any  one  account  of any  one  plan
participant or financial  intermediary  client exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or
1%  of  the  fund's  assets,  further  exchanges  will  be  subject  to  special
requirements  to comply with our policy on large  equity fund  redemptions.  See
"Special Requirements for Large Redemptions," page 20.

    IN ORDER TO  DISCOURAGE  THE EXCHANGE OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY AFTER THEIR PURCHASE,  EXCHANGE OF THOSE SHARES WITHIN 180 DAYS OF THEIR
PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE SHARES
EXCHANGED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the impact
such exchanges have on fund  performance and , hence, on the other  shareholders
of the fund.  For the purposes of  determining  the  applicability  of this fee,
shares first purchased will be deemed to be the shares first exchanged. The fund
reserves  its right to modify its policy  regarding  this  redemption  fee or to
waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.

HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

   
    Subject to any  restrictions  imposed by your  employer's  plan or financial
intermediary's  program,  you can sell ("redeem") your shares at their net asset
value  through  the plan or  financial  intermediary.  Your plan  administrator,
trustee, or financial intermediary
    


PROSPECTUS                HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS     19


or other  designated  person must provide us with redemption  instructions.  The
shares will be redeemed at the net asset value next  computed  after  receipt of
the instructions in good order.  See "When Share Price is Determined,"  page 21.
If you have any questions about how to redeem,  contact your plan administrator,
employee   benefits  office,   or  service   representative  at  your  financial
intermediary, as applicable.

    IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE THE REDEMPTION OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY  AFTER THEIR  PURCHASE,  REDEMPTION  OF THOSE SHARES  WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES  REDEEMED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the
impact  such  redemptions  have on fund  performance  and,  hence,  on the other
shareholders of the fund. For the purposes of determining the  applicability  of
this fee, shares first purchased will be deemed to be the shares first redeemed.
The fund reserves its right to modify its policy  regarding this  redemption fee
or to waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE REDEMPTIONS

    We have  elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the  Investment  Company
Act, which obligates each fund to make certain redemptions in cash, with respect
to any one  participant  account during any 90-day  period,  up to the lesser of
$250,000 or 1% of the assets of the fund. Although redemptions in excess of this
limitation  will also  normally  be paid in cash,  we  reserve  the right  under
unusual  circumstances to honor these  redemptions by making payment in whole or
in part in readily marketable securities (a "redemption-in-kind").

    If payment is made in securities, the securities, selected by the fund, will
be valued in the same manner as they are in computing the fund's net asset value
and will be provided to the redeeming plan participant or financial intermediary
in lieu of cash without prior notice.

    If you  expect  to make a large  redemption  and  would  like to  avoid  any
possibility of being paid in  securities,  you may do so by providing us with an
unconditional  instruction to redeem at least 15 days prior to the date on which
the redemption  transaction is to occur. The instruction must specify the dollar
amount  or number of  shares  to be  redeemed  and the date of the  transaction.
Receipt of your  instruction 15 days prior to the transaction  provides the fund
with  sufficient  time  to  raise  the  cash  in an  orderly  manner  to pay the
redemption  and thereby  minimizes the effect of the  redemption on the fund and
its remaining shareholders.

    Despite the fund's right to redeem fund shares through a redemption-in-kind,
we do not expect to exercise  this  option  unless a fund has an  unusually  low
level  of cash to meet  redemptions  and/or  is  experiencing  unusually  strong
demands for its cash.  Such a demand might be caused,  for  example,  by extreme
market conditions that result in an abnormally high level of redemption requests
concentrated in a short period of time.  Absent these or similar  circumstances,
we expect  redemptions in excess of $250,000 to be paid in cash in any fund with
assets of more than $50 million if total redemptions from any one account in any
90-day period do not exceed one-half of 1% of the total assets of the fund.

TELEPHONE SERVICES

INVESTORS LINE

    To  request  information  about our funds and a current  prospectus,  or get
answers to any  questions  that you may have about the funds and the services we
offer, call one of our Institutional Service Representatives at 1-800-345-3533.


20 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

SHARE PRICE

WHEN SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

   
    The price of your shares is also  referred to as their net asset value.  Net
asset value is determined  by  calculating  the total value of a fund's  assets,
deducting  total  liabilities  and  dividing  the result by the number of shares
outstanding.  For all American  Century  funds,  except funds issued by American
Century Target  Maturities  Trust, net asset value is determined as of the close
of regular trading on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open, usually
3 p.m.  Central  time.  The net asset  values  for Target  Maturities  funds are
determined one hour prior to the close of the Exchange.

    Investments and requests to redeem or exchange shares will receive the share
price next  determined  after  receipt by us of the  investment,  redemption  or
exchange  request.  For example,  investments and requests to redeem or exchange
shares  received by us or one of our agents or  designees  before the time as of
which the net asset value of the fund is determined,  are effective on, and will
receive the price  determined,  that day.  Investment,  redemption  and exchange
requests received  thereafter are effective on, and receive the price determined
as of, the close of the Exchange on the next day the Exchange is open.
    

    Investments  are  considered  received  only when payment is received by us.
Wired funds are  considered  received on the day they are  deposited in our bank
account if they are deposited before the time as of which the net asset value of
the fund is determined.

    It is the responsibility of your plan recordkeeper or financial intermediary
to  transmit  your  purchase,  exchange  and  redemption  requests to the funds'
transfer agent prior to the applicable  cut-off time for receiving orders and to
make  payment  for any  purchase  transactions  in  accordance  with the  funds'
procedures  or any  contractual  arrangements  with  the  funds  or  the  funds'
distributor in order for you to receive that day's price.

   
    We have contractual  relationships with certain financial  intermediaries in
which such intermediaries  represent that they have systems to track the time at
which  investment  orders are  received  and to  segregate  orders  received  at
different times. Based on these representations,  the funds have authorized such
intermediaries  and their designees to accept purchase and redemption  orders on
the funds' behalf up to the applicable cut-off time. The funds will be deemed to
have received such orders upon acceptance by the duly  authorized  intermediary,
and such  orders  will be priced at the funds' net asset  value next  determined
after acceptance on the funds' behalf by such intermediary.
    

HOW SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

    The valuation of assets for determining net asset value may be summarized as
follows:

   
    The portfolio  securities of each fund, except as otherwise noted, listed or
traded on a domestic  securities  exchange  are valued at the last sale price on
that  exchange.  Portfolio  securities  primarily  traded on foreign  securities
exchanges  are  generally  valued  at  the  preceding  closing  values  of  such
securities on the exchange where primarily traded. If no sale is reported, or if
local convention or regulation so provides, the mean of the latest bid and asked
prices is used.  Depending on local convention or regulation,  securities traded
over-the-counter  are priced at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices,  or
at the last sale  price.  When  market  quotations  are not  readily  available,
securities and other assets are valued at fair value as determined in accordance
with procedures adopted by the Board of Directors.
    

    Debt  securities  not traded on a principal  securities  exchange are valued
through  valuations  obtained from a commercial  pricing  service or at the most
recent  mean of the bid and asked  prices  provided  by  investment  dealers  in
accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors.

    The  value of an  exchange-traded  foreign  security  is  determined  in its
national currency as of the close of


PROSPECTUS                  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW           21


trading  on the  foreign  exchange  on which it is  traded or as of the close of
business on the New York Stock Exchange,  if that is earlier. That value is then
exchanged  to  dollars  at the  prevailing  foreign  exchange  rate.  Trading in
securities on European and Far Eastern securities exchanges and over-the-counter
markets is normally  completed at various  times before the close of business on
each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open.

    If an event were to occur after the value of a security was  established but
before  the net  asset  value  per  share  was  determined  that was  likely  to
materially  change the net asset value,  then that  security  would be valued at
fair value as determined in accordance with  procedures  adopted by the Board of
Directors.

    Trading of these  securities in foreign  markets may not take place on every
New York Stock  Exchange  business  day. In addition,  trading may take place in
various  foreign  markets on  Saturdays or on other days when the New York Stock
Exchange  is not open and on which a fund's net asset  value is not  calculated.
Therefore,  such  calculation  does not take  place  contemporaneously  with the
determination  of the prices of many of the  portfolio  securities  used in such
calculation  and the value of a fund's  portfolio  may be  affected on days when
shares of the fund may not be purchased or redeemed.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT SHARE PRICE

    The net asset  values of the  Investor  Class of  International  Growth  and
International Discovery are published in leading newspapers daily. The net asset
value of the Investor Class of Emerging  Markets will be published in newspapers
when the fund meets the minimum size requirements for listing. Because the total
expense  ratio for the Advisor  Class  shares is 0.25%  higher than the Investor
Class,  their net asset  values will be lower than the Investor  Class.  The net
asset value of the Advisor Class of each fund may be obtained by calling us.

 DISTRIBUTIONS

    In  general,  distributions  from net  investment  income  and net  realized
securities  gains, if any, are declared and paid annually,  usually in December,
but the funds may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the
distribution  requirements  of the  Internal  Revenue  Code,  in all events in a
manner consistent with the provisions of the Investment Company Act.

    THE OBJECTIVE OF EACH FUND IS CAPITAL APPRECIATION AND NOT THE PRODUCTION OF
DISTRIBUTIONS. YOU SHOULD MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY THE VALUE OF
YOUR INVESTMENT AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND NOT BY THE DISTRIBUTIONS YOU RECEIVE.

   
    Participants in employer-sponsored retirement or savings plans must reinvest
all  distributions.   For  shareholders   investing  through  taxable  accounts,
distributions  will be  reinvested  unless  you elect to  receive  them in cash.
Distributions of less than $10 generally will be reinvested.  Distributions made
shortly  after a  purchase  by check  or ACH may be held up to 15 days.  You may
elect to have distributions on shares held in certain IRAs and 403(b) plans paid
in cash only if you are at least  591/2  years old or  permanently  and  totally
disabled.  Distribution  checks  normally are mailed within seven days after the
record date. Please consult our Investor Services Guide for further  information
regarding your distribution options.
    

    A  distribution  on  shares of a fund  does not  increase  the value of your
shares or your total return. At any given time the value of your shares includes
the  undistributed  net  gains,  if any,  realized  by the  fund on the  sale of
portfolio securities,  and undistributed  dividends and interest received,  less
fund expenses.

    Because such gains and  dividends  are included in the price of your shares,
when they are  distributed  the price of your shares is reduced by the amount of
the  distribution.  If you buy your shares through a taxable account just before
the distribution,  you will pay the full price for your shares, and then receive
a portion of the  purchase  price back as a taxable  distribution.  See "Taxes,"
this page.

TAXES

    Each fund has elected to be taxed under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code,  which means that to the extent its income is distributed to shareholders,
it pays no income tax.


22    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


TAX-DEFERRED ACCOUNTS

    If fund  shares  are  purchased  through  tax-deferred  accounts,  such as a
qualified  employer-sponsored  retirement  or savings  plan,  income and capital
gains  distributions  paid by the fund will  generally not be subject to current
taxation,  but will  accumulate in your account under the plan on a tax-deferred
basis.

    Employer-sponsored  retirement and savings plans are governed by complex tax
rules.  If you elect to participate in your employer's  plan,  consult your plan
administrator,  your plan's  summary plan  description,  or a  professional  tax
advisor   regarding  the  tax   consequences  of   participation  in  the  plan,
contributions to, and withdrawals or distributions from the plan.

TAXABLE ACCOUNTS

   
    If fund shares are purchased through taxable accounts,  distributions of net
investment  income  and net  short-term  capital  gains  are  taxable  to you as
ordinary income. The dividends from net income may qualify for the 70% dividends
received  deduction  for  corporations  to the extent  that the fund held shares
receiving the dividend for more than 45 days. Distributions from gains on assets
held  longer  than 12 months but no more than 18 months  (28% rate gain)  and/or
assets held longer than 18 months (20% rate gain) are taxable as long-term gains
regardless of the length of time you have held the shares.  However,  you should
note that any loss  realized  upon the sale or redemption of shares held for six
months or less will be treated as a long-term  capital loss to the extent of any
distribution  of  long-term  capital  gain  (28% or 20%  rate  gain) to you with
respect to such shares.
    

    Dividends  and interest  received by a fund on foreign  securities  may give
rise  to  withholding  and  other  taxes  imposed  by  foreign  countries.   Tax
conventions  between  certain  countries  and the  United  States  may reduce or
eliminate such taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital
gains in respect of investments  by  non-resident  investors.  The foreign taxes
paid by a fund will reduce its dividends.

   
    If more  than 50% of the  value of a fund's  total  assets at the end of its
fiscal year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the fund may qualify
for and make an election with the Internal  Revenue Service with respect to such
fiscal year so that fund  shareholders may be able to claim a foreign tax credit
in lieu of a deduction  for foreign  income  taxes paid by the fund.  If such an
election is made,  the foreign  taxes paid by the fund will be treated as income
received by you. In order for the shareholder to utilize the foreign tax credit,
the mutual fund shares must have been held for 16 days or more during the 30-day
period,  beginning  15 days prior to the  ex-dividend  date for the mutual  fund
shares.  The mutual fund must meet a similar  holding  period  requirement  with
respect to foreign  securities to which a dividend is attributable.  Any portion
of the  foreign  tax  credit  which is  ineligible  as a result  of the fund not
meeting the holding period  requirement will be separately  disclosed and may be
eligible as an itemized deduction.

    If a fund purchases the securities of certain  foreign  investment  funds or
trusts called passive foreign investment companies (PFIC),  capital gains on the
sale of such  holdings  will be deemed to be ordinary  income  regardless of how
long the fund holds its  investment.  The fund may also be subject to  corporate
income tax and an interest charge on certain  dividends and capital gains earned
from  these  investments,  regardless  of  whether  such  income  and  gains are
distributed to shareholders. In the alternative, the fund may elect to recognize
cumulative  gains on such  investments as of the last day of its fiscal year and
distribute  it to  shareholders.  Any  distribution  attributable  to a PFIC  is
characterized as ordinary income.

    Distributions  are taxable to you  regardless  of whether  they are taken in
cash or reinvested,  even if the value of your shares is below your cost. If you
purchase shares shortly before a distribution,  you must pay income taxes on the
distribution,  even though the value of your investment (plus cash received,  if
any) will not have  increased.  In  addition,  the  share  price at the time you
purchase  shares may  include  unrealized  gains in the  securities  held in the
investment portfolio of the fund. If these portfolio securities are subsequently
sold and the gains are realized,  they will, to the extent not offset by capital
losses, be paid to you as a distribution of capital gains and will be taxable to
you as short-term or long-term capital gains (28% and/or 20% rate gain).
    

    In January of the year  following the  distribution,  if you own shares in a
taxable account, you will receive a Form 1099-DIV notifying you of the status of
your distributions for federal income tax purposes.


PROSPECTUS                      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       23


    Distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes, even if all or a
substantial  part  of such  distributions  are  derived  from  interest  on U.S.
government  obligations  which,  if you received them directly,  would be exempt
from state income tax. However, most but not all states allow this tax exemption
to pass  through  to fund  shareholders  when a fund pays  distributions  to its
shareholders.  You should  consult your tax advisor about the tax status of such
distributions in your own state.

    If you have not complied  with certain  provisions  of the Internal  Revenue
Code and  Regulations,  we are  required by federal law to withhold and remit to
the IRS 31% of reportable  payments (which may include dividends,  capital gains
distributions  and redemptions).  Those regulations  require you to certify that
the Social Security number or tax  identification  number you provide is correct
and that you are not subject to 31% withholding for previous  under-reporting to
the  IRS.  You  will be asked  to make  the  appropriate  certification  on your
application.  Payments  reported by us that omit your Social  Security number or
tax  identification  number will  subject us to a penalty of $50,  which will be
charged  against  your account if you fail to provide the  certification  by the
time the report is filed. This charge is not refundable.

   
    Redemption of shares of a fund  (including  redemptions  made in an exchange
transaction)  will be a taxable  transaction for federal income tax purposes and
shareholders  generally  will recognize a gain or loss in an amount equal to the
difference  between  the basis of the shares and the amount  received.  Assuming
that  shareholders hold such shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss will be
a capital gain or loss and generally will be considered long-term subject to tax
at a maximum rate of 28% if  shareholders  have held such shares for a period of
more than 12 months but no more than 18 months and long-term subject to tax at a
maximum rate of 20% if share-holders  have held such shares for a period of more
than 18 months.  If a loss is realized on the  redemption  of fund  shares,  the
reinvestment  in  additional  fund  shares  within  30 days  before or after the
redemption may be subject to the "wash sale" rules of the Internal Revenue Code,
resulting in a postponement  of the  recognition of such loss for federal income
tax purposes.

    In addition to the federal income tax consequences  described above relating
to an  investment  in a fund,  there  may be other  federal,  state or local tax
considerations  that depend upon the circumstances of each particular  investor.
Prospective  shareholders are therefore urged to consult their tax advisors with
respect to the effect of this investment on their own specific situations.
    

 MANAGEMENT

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

    Under  the  laws of the  State  of  Maryland,  the  Board  of  Directors  is
responsible for managing the business and affairs of the funds.  Acting pursuant
to an  investment  management  agreement  entered into with the funds,  American
Century  Investment  Management,  Inc.  serves as the investment  manager of the
funds.  Its principal  place of business is American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street,  Kansas City, Missouri 64111. The manager has been providing  investment
advisory services to investment companies and institutional clients since it was
founded in 1958.

    The manager  supervises and manages the  investment  portfolio of a fund and
directs the purchase and sale of its investment  securities.  It utilizes a team
of portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers and analysts acting together
to manage the assets of a fund.  The team meets  regularly  to review  portfolio
holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity. The team adjusts holdings in
a fund's portfolio as they deem appropriate in pursuit of the fund's  investment
objectives.  Individual  portfolio  manager  members of the team may also adjust
portfolio holdings of a funds as necessary between team meetings.

    The portfolio  manager  members of the teams managing the funds described in
this  Prospectus  and  their  work  experience  for the last  five  years are as
follows:

   
    HENRIK STRABO, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century  in  1993 as an  Investment  Analyst  of the  International  Growth  and
International Discovery team and has been a Portfolio Manager member of the team
since 1994.  Prior to joining American  Century,  Mr. Strabo was Vice President,
International  Equity Sales with Barclays de Zoete Wedd from 1991 to 1993. He is
a member of the
    


24   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
teams that manage International Growth and International Discovery.
    

    MARK S. KOPINSKI,  Vice President and Portfolio  Manager,  rejoined American
Century in April 1997. From June 1995 to March 1997, Mr. Kopinski served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to June
1995,  Mr.  Kopinski was a Vice  President  and  Portfolio  Manager for American
Century.  He  is a  member  of  the  teams  that  manage  International  Growth,
International  Discovery  and the Emerging  Markets Fund. He was a member of the
International  Growth and  International  Discovery  teams at their inception in
1991.

    MICHAEL J. DONNELLY,  Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century in August 1997. From July 1993 to July 1997, Mr. Donnelly served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to July
1993, Mr.  Donnelly  served as Assistant Vice President for Korea First Bank. He
is a member of the team that manages the Emerging Markets Fund.

    The  activities  of the manager are subject only to directions of the funds'
Board of  Directors.  The  manager  pays all the  expenses  of the funds  except
brokerage,  taxes,  interest,  fees and  expenses of the  non-interested  person
directors (including counsel fees) and extraordinary expenses.

    For the  services  provided to the Advisor  Class of the funds,  the manager
receives an annual fee  calculated  as a percentage of the average net assets of
each of the funds as follows:

Fund                                              Percent of Average Net Assets
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Growth                                  1.25% of first $1 billion
                                                   0.95% of the next $1 billion
                                                          0.85% over $2 billion

International Discovery                             1.50% of first $500 million
                                                 1.15% of the next $500 million
                                                          0.95% over $1 billion

Emerging Markets                                    1.75% of first $500 million
                                                 1.25% of the next $500 million
                                                          1.00% over $1 billion
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   
    On the first business day of each month,  each fund pays a management fee to
the  manager  for the  previous  month at the  specified  rate.  The fee for the
previous month is calculated by multiplying  the applicable fee for each fund by
the  aggregate  average daily closing value of each fund's net assets during the
previous  month,  and  further  multiplying  that  product  by a  fraction,  the
numerator  of  which  is the  number  of  days  in the  previous  month  and the
denominator of which is 365 (366 in leap years).
    

    The  management  fees paid by the funds to the  manager  are higher than the
fees paid by the various  other funds in the  American  Century  family of funds
because of the higher costs and additional expenses associated with managing and
operating a fund owning a portfolio  consisting primarily of foreign securities.
The fee may also be  higher  than the fee paid by many  other  international  or
foreign investment companies.

   
    Many other  investment  companies  may refer to or publicize an  "investment
management fee" or "management fee" paid by the company to its manager. However,
most such companies also use fund assets to pay for certain expenses of the fund
in addition to the stated  management fee. In contrast,  the management fee paid
to the  manager  includes  payment  for  almost  all  fund  expenses,  with  the
exceptions  noted.  Therefore,  potential  investors  who attempt to compare the
expenses  of these funds to the  expenses  of other  funds  should be careful to
compare only the ratio of total expenses to average net assets  contained in the
financial information found on pages 5-8 of this Prospectus to the same ratio of
the other funds.
    

    The  management  agreement also provides that the funds' Board of Directors,
upon 60 days' prior written  notice to all affected  shareholders,  may impose a
servicing or administrative fee as a charge against shareholder accounts.

CODE OF ETHICS

    The funds and the  manager  have  adopted  a Code of Ethics  that  restricts
personal  investing  practices by  employees of the manager and its  affiliates.
Among other  provisions,  the Code of Ethics requires that employees with access
to information about the purchase or sale of securities in the funds' portfolios
obtain  preclearance before executing personal trades. With respect to Portfolio
Managers  and  other  investment   personnel,   the  Code  of  Ethics  prohibits
acquisition of securities in an initial public offering, as well


PROSPECTUS                        ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW      25


as profits  derived from the purchase  and sale of the same  security  within 60
calendar  days.  These  provisions  are designed to ensure that the interests of
fund  shareholders  come  before the  interests  of the people who manage  those
funds.

TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

    American  Century  Services  Corporation,  4500 Main  Street,  Kansas  City,
Missouri 64111, acts as transfer agent and dividend-paying  agent for the funds.
It provides  facilities,  equipment and personnel to the funds,  and is paid for
such services by the manager.

    From time to time,  special  services  may be  offered to  shareholders  who
maintain  higher  share  balances  in our family of funds.  These  services  may
include the waiver of minimum investment requirements, expedited confirmation of
shareholder  transactions,  newsletters and a team of personal  representatives.
Any expenses associated with these special services will be paid by the manager.

    The manager and  transfer  agent are both wholly  owned by American  Century
Companies, Inc. James E. Stowers Jr., Chairman of the funds' Board of Directors,
controls  American Century Companies by virtue of his ownership of a majority of
its common stock.

   
    Pursuant  to  a  Sub-Administration   Agreement  with  the  manager,   Funds
Distributor,  Inc. (FDI) serves as the  Co-Administrator  for the funds.  FDI is
responsible for (i) providing  certain  officers of the funds and (ii) reviewing
and filing  marketing and sales  literature on behalf of the funds. The fees and
expenses of FDI are paid by the manager out of its unified fee.
    

 DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

   
    The funds' shares are distributed by FDI, a registered broker-dealer. FDI is
a wholly-owned  indirect  subsidiary of Boston  Institutional  Group, Inc. FDI's
principal business address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.

    Investors  may  open  accounts  with  American   Century  only  through  the
distributor.  All purchase  transactions in the funds offered by this Prospectus
are  processed  by the  transfer  agent,  which  is  authorized  to  accept  any
instructions relating to fund accounts.  All purchase orders must be accepted by
the  distributor.  All fees and expenses of FDI in acting as distributor for the
funds are paid by the manager.
    

SERVICE AND DISTRIBUTION FEES

    Rule  12b-1  adopted by the SEC under the  Investment  Company  Act  permits
investment  companies  that  adopt  a  written  plan  to  pay  certain  expenses
associated  with the  distribution  of their shares.  Pursuant to that rule, the
funds'  Board of Directors  and the initial  shareholder  of the funds'  Advisor
Class  shares  have  approved  and  entered  into  a  Master   Distribution  and
Shareholder  Services  Plan (the "Plan") with the  distributor.  Pursuant to the
Plan,  each fund pays a shareholder  services fee and a  distribution  fee, each
equal to 0.25% (for a total of 0.50%) per annum of the average  daily net assets
of the shares of the fund's Advisor Class. The shareholder  services fee is paid
for the  purpose  of  paying  the  costs of  securing  certain  shareholder  and
administrative  services,  and the  distribution  fee is paid for the purpose of
paying the costs of providing various distribution services. All or a portion of
such fees are paid by the manager,  as paying agent for the funds, to the banks,
broker-dealers,  insurance companies or other financial  intermediaries  through
which such shares are made available.

   
    The Plan has been adopted and will be  administered  in accordance  with the
requirements  of Rule 12b-1 under the  Investment  Company Act.  For  additional
information  about the Plan and its terms,  see  "Multiple  Class  Structure  --
Master  Distribution  and  Shareholder   Services  Plan"  in  the  Statement  of
Additional  Information.  Fees  paid  pursuant  to  the  Plan  may be  paid  for
shareholder   services  and  the  maintenance  of  accounts  and  therefore  may
constitute  "service  fees" for  purposes of  applicable  rules of the  National
Association of Securities Dealers.
    

 FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICAN CENTURY

    American  Century World Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,  the issuer of the funds,  was
organized as a Maryland corporation on December 28, 1990.

    The corporation is a diversified,  open-end  management  investment  company
whose  shares  were first  offered in May 1991.  Its  business  and  affairs are
managed by its officers under the direction of its Board of Directors.


26  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


    The  principal  office of the funds is  American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street, P.O. Box 419385, Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6385.  All inquiries may be
made by mail to that address, or by telephone to 1- 800-345-3533  (international
calls: 816-531-5575).

    American  Century World Mutual Funds,  Inc. issues three series of $0.01 par
value  shares.  Each  series  is  commonly  referred  to as a fund.  The  assets
belonging to each series of shares are held separately by the custodian.

   
    American  Century  offers  four  classes of each of the funds:  an  Investor
Class,  an  Institutional  Class,  a Service Class,  and the Advisor Class.  The
shares offered by this Prospectus are Advisor Class shares.
    

    The Investor  Class is primarily  made  available to retail  investors.  The
Institutional  Class and Service  Class are primarily  offered to  institutional
investors   or   through   institutional    distribution   channels,   such   as
employer-sponsored retirement plans or through banks, broker-dealers,  insurance
companies or other  financial  intermediaries.  The other classes have different
fees, expenses,  and/or minimum investment  requirements than the Advisor Class.
The  difference in the fee  structures  among the classes is the result of their
separate  arrangements  for  shareholder and  distribution  services and not the
result of any difference in amounts  charged by the manager for core  investment
advisory  services.  Accordingly,  the core investment  advisory expenses do not
vary by  class.  Different  fees  and  expenses  will  affect  performance.  For
additional  information concerning the Investor Class of shares, call one of our
Investor Services Representatives at 1-800-345-2021.  For information concerning
the  Institutional or Service Classes of shares,  call one of our  Institutional
Service  Representatives at 1-800-345-3533 or contact a sales  representative or
financial intermediary who offers those classes of shares.

   
    Except as described  below,  all classes of shares of a fund have  identical
voting,  dividend,   liquidation  and  other  rights,  preferences,   terms  and
conditions.  The only  differences  among the various classes are (a) each class
may be subject to different  expenses specific to that class, (b) each class has
a different identifying designation or name, (c) each class has exclusive voting
rights with respect to matters solely  affecting such class,  (d) each class may
have different exchange privileges,  and (e) the Institutional Class may provide
for automatic  conversion  from that class into shares of the Investor  Class of
the same fund.

    Each  share,  irrespective  of series or class,  is entitled to one vote for
each dollar of net asset value applicable to such share on all questions, except
for those  matters  that must be voted on  separately  by the series or class of
shares affected.  Matters affecting only one series or class are voted upon only
by that series or class.
    

    Shares have  non-cumulative  voting rights,  which means that the holders of
more than 50% of the votes cast in an election of directors can elect all of the
directors  if  they  choose  to do so,  and in such  event  the  holders  of the
remaining  votes will not be able to elect any person or persons to the Board of
Directors.

    Unless required by the Investment  Company Act, it will not be necessary for
the funds to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result, shareholders may
not vote each year on the election of directors or the  appointment of auditors.
However,  pursuant to the funds' by-laws,  the holders of shares representing at
least  10% of the  votes  entitled  to be cast may  request  the funds to hold a
special meeting of shareholders.  We will assist in the communication with other
shareholders.

    WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ANY OF OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
WITHOUT  SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL  EXCEPT  IN  THOSE  INSTANCES  WHERE  SHAREHOLDER
APPROVAL IS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED.


PROSPECTUS                      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       27


                                     NOTES


28      NOTES                                      AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                                     NOTES


                                                                   NOTES      29


P.O. BOX 419385 
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 
64141-6385

INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES:  
1-800-345-3533 OR 816-531-5575

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE FOR THE DEAF:  
1-800-345-1833 OR 816-444-3038

FAX: 816-340-4655

WWW.AMERICANCENTURY.COM

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

9803           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-11756      Recycled
<PAGE>
                                   PROSPECTUS

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                                   TWENTIETH

                                    CENTURY

                                     GROUP

                             International Growth

                            International Discovery

                               Emerging Markets

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS



                         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

                                FAMILY OF FUNDS

    American  Century  Investments  offers you nearly 70 fund  choices  covering
stocks, bonds, money markets,  specialty investments and blended portfolios.  To
help you find the funds that may meet your investment  needs,  American  Century
funds  have  been  divided  into  three  groups  based on  investment  style and
objectives. These groups, which appear below, are designed to help simplify your
fund decisions.


                           AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  BENHAM GROUP(reg.tm)       AMERICAN CENTURY GROUP      TWENTIETH CENTURY GROUP
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    MONEY MARKET FUNDS           ASSET ALLOCATION             GROWTH FUNDS

   GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS       &  BALANCED FUNDS          INTERNATIONAL FUNDS

  DIVERSIFIED BOND FUNDS    CONSERVATIVE EQUITY FUNDS

   MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS         SPECIALTY FUND
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                         International Growth

                                                        International Discovery

                                                           Emerging Markets


                                  PROSPECTUS

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                      International Growth * International
                          Discovery * Emerging Markets

                               INSTITUTIONAL CLASS

                    AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.

   
    American  Century  World Mutual  Funds,  Inc. is a part of American  Century
Investments,  a family of funds that  includes  nearly 70 no-load  mutual  funds
covering  a variety  of  investment  opportunities.  Three of the funds from our
Twentieth  Century  Group of  funds  are  described  in this  Prospectus.  Their
investment  objectives are listed on page 2 of this Prospectus.  The other funds
are described in separate prospectuses.
    

    The funds described in this Prospectus invest primarily in equity securities
of foreign  issuers.  Investment  in  securities  of foreign  issuers  typically
involves a greater degree of risk than investment in domestic securities. Please
read "Risk Factors," page 12.

   
    Each fund's  shares  offered in this  Prospectus  (the  Institutional  Class
shares) are sold at their net asset value with no sales charges or commissions.
    

    The  Institutional  Class  shares are made  available  for purchase by large
institutional  shareholders,  such  as  bank  trust  departments,  corporations,
endowments,  foundations  and financial  advisors  that meet the funds'  minimum
investment  requirements.  Institutional  Class  shares  are not  available  for
purchase  by  insurance  companies  or  participant-directed  employer-sponsored
retirement plans.

   
    This Prospectus  gives you information  about the funds that you should know
before investing. Please read this Prospectus carefully and retain it for future
reference.  Additional  information  is included in the  Statement of Additional
Information  dated April 1, 1998,  and filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.  It is incorporated  into this Prospectus by reference.  To obtain a
copy without charge, call or write:


                          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
                       4500 Main Street * P.O. Box 419385
               Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6385 * 1-800-345-3533
                       International calls: 816-531-5575
                     Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
                   1-800-345-1833 * In Missouri: 816-444-3038
                            www.americancentury.com
    


    Additional  information,  including  this  Prospectus  and the  Statement of
Additional Information,  may be obtained by accessing the Web site maintained by
the SEC (www.sec.gov).

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

PROSPECTUS                                                               1


                      INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND

   
    The investment objective of International Growth is capital growth. The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities that are considered
by the  investment  manager to have  prospects for  appreciation.  The fund will
invest primarily in securities of issuers in developed markets.
    

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY FUND

   
    The investment  objective of International  Discovery is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities of issuers  having
comparatively  smaller  market  capitalizations  (less  than U.S.  $1 billion in
market  capitalization or less than U.S. $500 million in public float). The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.  All such investments will be considered by the investment manager to
have  prospects  for  appreciation.  Due  to  the  risks  associated  with  such
investments, an investment in this fund may be considered speculative.
    

    SHARES OF INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY  EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE  ARE  SUBJECT  TO A  REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES EXCHANGED OR REDEEMED. This redemption fee is retained by the fund and is
intended to discourage  shareholders  from  exchanging or redeeming their shares
shortly after their purchase,  as well as minimize the impact such exchanges and
redemptions have on fund  performance  and, hence, on the other  shareholders of
the fund.

AMERICAN CENTURY -- TWENTIETH CENTURY
EMERGING MARKETS FUND

    The investment  objective of Emerging  Markets is capital  growth.  The fund
will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing  primarily  in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio  of  equity  securities  of  issuers  in
emerging market countries that are considered by the investment  manager to have
prospects for  appreciation.  Due to the risks associated with such investments,
an investment in this fund may be considered speculative.


                There is no assurance that the funds will achieve
                     their respective investment objectives.

NO  PERSON  IS  AUTHORIZED  BY THE  FUNDS  TO GIVE ANY  INFORMATION  OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATION OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN OTHER PRINTED
OR WRITTEN MATERIAL ISSUED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE FUNDS, AND YOU SHOULD NOT RELY
ON ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION.

2      INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
Investment Objectives of the Funds .........................................   2
Transaction and Operating Expense Table ....................................   4
Financial Highlights .......................................................   5
Performance Information of Other Class .....................................   6
INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS
Investment Policies of the Funds ...........................................   9
   International Growth ....................................................   9
   International Discovery .................................................   9
   Emerging Markets ........................................................  10
   Policies Applicable to All Funds ........................................  10
Risk Factors ...............................................................  12
   Investing in Foreign Securities Generally ...............................  12
   Investing in Smaller Companies ..........................................  13
   Investing in Emerging Market Countries ..................................  13
   Investing in Lower Quality Debt Instruments .............................  14
Other Investment Practices, Their Characteristics
and Risks ..................................................................  14
   Forward Currency Exchange Contracts .....................................  14
   Indirect Foreign Investment .............................................  15
   Sovereign Debt Obligations ..............................................  15
   Portfolio Turnover ......................................................  15
   Repurchase Agreements ...................................................  15
   Futures and Options .....................................................  15
   When-Issued Securities ..................................................  16
   Short Sales .............................................................  16
   Rule 144A Securities ....................................................  16
   Investments in Companies
      with Limited Operating History .......................................  17
Performance Advertising ....................................................  17
    

HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
American Century Investments ...............................................  19
Investing in American Century ..............................................  19
How to Open an Account .....................................................  19
           By Mail .........................................................  19
           By Wire .........................................................  19
           By Exchange .....................................................  19
           In Person .......................................................  20
      Subsequent Investments ...............................................  20
           By Mail .........................................................  20
           By Telephone ....................................................  20
           By Wire .........................................................  20
           In Person .......................................................  20
      Automatic Investment Plan ............................................  20
 Minimum Investment ........................................................  20
 How to Exchange from One Account to Another ...............................  20
           By Mail .........................................................  21
           By Telephone ....................................................  21
 How to Redeem Shares ......................................................  21
           By Mail .........................................................  21
           By Telephone ....................................................  21
           By Check-A-Month ................................................  21
           Other Automatic Redemptions .....................................  21
      Redemption Proceeds ..................................................  22
           By Check ........................................................  22
           By Wire and ACH .................................................  22
      Special Requirements for Large Redemptions ...........................  22
 Signature Guarantee .......................................................  22
 Special Shareholder Services ..............................................  23
           Open Order Service ..............................................  23
           Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans ..................................  23
 Important Policies Regarding Your Investments .............................  23
 Reports to Shareholders ...................................................  24
 Customers of Banks, Broker-Dealers and
 Other Financial Intermediaries ............................................  24

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW
Share Price ................................................................  25
   When Share Price Is Determined ..........................................  25
   How Share Price Is Determined ...........................................  25
   Where to Find Information About Share Price .............................  26
Distributions ..............................................................  26
Taxes ......................................................................  26
   Tax-Deferred Accounts ...................................................  27
   Taxable Accounts ........................................................  27
Management .................................................................  28
   Investment Management ...................................................  28
   Code of Ethics ..........................................................  29
   Transfer and Administrative Services ....................................  29
Distribution of Fund Shares ................................................  30
Further Information About American Century .................................  30

PROSPECTUS                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS       3


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE

                                                                                      International   International    Emerging
                                                                                           Growth       Discovery       Markets

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:

<S>                                                                                 <C>              <C>            <C>
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases ..............................................        none        none          none

Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Reinvested Dividends ...................................        none        none          none

Deferred Sales Load ..................................................................        none        none          none

Redemption Fee .......................................................................        none       none(1)        none

Exchange Fee .........................................................................        none        none          none

ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (as a percentage of net assets):

   
Management Fees(2) ...................................................................    1.17%(3)       1.48%(3)      1.80%(3)

12b-1 Fees ...........................................................................      none           none          none

Other Expenses(4) ....................................................................      0.00%          0.00%         0.00%

Total Fund Operating Expenses(2) .....................................................    1.17%(3)       1.48%(3)      1.80%(3)

EXAMPLE:

You would pay the following expenses on a                                 1 year            $ 12            $ 15          $18
$1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return and                       3 years              37              47           56
redemption at the end of each time period(2):                            5 years              64              80           97
                                                                        10 years             141             176          210
</TABLE>
- ----------
(1) Shares of International  Discovery  exchanged or redeemed within 180 days of
    their  purchase are subject to a redemption  fee of 2.0% of the value of the
    shares  exchanged or redeemed.  This redemption fee is retained by the fund.
    See "How to  Exchange  from One  Account  to  Another,"  page 20 and "How to
    Redeem Shares," page 21.

(2) Assumes, in accordance with Securities and Exchange  Commission  guidelines,
    that  the  assets  of  International  Growth,  International  Discovery  and
    Emerging  Markets  remain  constant  at  $1,756,574,349,   $626,326,600  and
    $11,829,515,  respectively, the assets of the funds as of November 30, 1997.
    A  portion  of the  management  fee  may be paid by the  funds'  manager  to
    unaffiliated  third  parties who provide  recordkeeping  and  administrative
    services  that would  otherwise be performed by an affiliate of the manager.
    See "Management-Transfer and Administrative Services," page 29.
    

(3) International  Growth pays an annual management fee of 1.30% of the first $1
    billion of average net  assets,  1.00% of the next $1 billion of average net
    assets,  and 0.90% of average  net  assets  over $2  billion;  International
    Discovery  pays an annual  management fee of 1.55% of the first $500 million
    of average net assets,  1.20% of the next $500  million  average net assets,
    and 1.00% of average net assets over $1 billion;  and Emerging  Markets pays
    an annual  management  fee of 1.80% of the first $500 million of average net
    assets,  1.30% of the next $500 million of average net assets,  and 1.05% of
    average net assets over $1 billion.

(4) Other  expenses,  which  includes  the fees and  expenses  (including  legal
    counsel fees) of those directors who are not "interested persons" as defined
    in the  Investment  Company  Act,  were less than 0.01 of 1% of average  net
    assets for the most recent fiscal year.

    The purpose of this table is to help you  understand  the various  costs and
expenses  that you,  as a  shareholder,  will bear  directly  or  indirectly  in
connection  with an  investment  in the class of shares of the funds  offered by
this  Prospectus.  The  example  set forth  above  assumes  reinvestment  of all
dividends and  distributions  and uses a 5% annual rate of return as required by
SEC regulations.

    NEITHER  THE 5% RATE OF  RETURN  NOR THE  EXPENSES  SHOWN  ABOVE  SHOULD  BE
CONSIDERED  INDICATIONS OF PAST OR FUTURE  RETURNS AND EXPENSES.  ACTUAL RETURNS
AND EXPENSES MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN.

    The shares offered by this Prospectus are  Institutional  Class shares.  The
funds  offer  three  other  classes of shares,  one of which is  primarily  made
available  to retail  investors  and two that are  primarily  made  available to
institutional  investors.  The other classes have different fee structures  than
the Institutional  Class. The difference in the fee structures among the classes
is the result of their separate  arrangements  for shareholder and  distribution
services and not the result of any difference in amounts  charged by the manager
for core investment advisory services. Accordingly, the core investment advisory
expenses do not vary by class.  A  difference  in fees will result in  different
performance  for those  classes.  For additional  information  about the various
classes, see "Further Information About American Century," page 30.

4    TRANSACTION AND OPERATING EXPENSE TABLE   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                             INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  The sale of the  Institutional  Class of the fund  commenced  on November  20,
1997.  Performance  information of the original class of shares, which commenced
operations on May 9, 1991, is presented on page 6.

  The  Financial  Highlights  for the  period  presented  have been  audited  by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, whose report thereon appears in the
fund's annual report,  which is  incorporated by reference into the Statement of
Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains  additional  performance
information  and  will  be made  available  without  charge  upon  request.  The
information  presented is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the period ended
November 30.

                                                                      1997(1)

PER-SHARE DATA

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ........................  $       9.26
                                                               ------------

Income From Investment Operations

  Net Realized and Unrealized Loss
  on Investment Transactions ................................         (0.04)
                                                               ------------
  Total From Investment Operations ..........................         (0.04)
                                                               ------------
Net Asset Value, End of Period ..............................  $       9.22
                                                               ============

  Total Return(2) ...........................................         (0.43)%


RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets ...........          1.18%(3)

Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets ..........    (0.53)%(3)

   Portfolio Turnover Rate ..................................           163%

 Average Commission Paid per Share of Equity Security Traded   $     0.0069

 Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ...................  $     18,846

- ----------

(1) November 20, 1997 (commencement of sale) through November 30, 1997.

(2) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(3) Annualized.

PROSPECTUS                                     FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS       5


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                            INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  The  Institutional  Class of the fund was  established  September 3, 1996. The
financial  information in this table regarding  selected  per-share data for the
fund reflects the performance of the fund's Investor Class of shares,  which has
a total expense ratio that is 0.20% higher than the Institutional Class. Had the
Institutional  Class  been in  existence  for the  fund  for  the  time  periods
presented, the fund's performance information would be higher as a result of the
lower expenses.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                               1997         1996         1995        1994        1993         1992        1991(1)

PER-SHARE DATA

<S>                                             <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>  
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period .......    $8.73        $7.51        $7.47       $7.34       $5.79       $5.33        $5.10
                                                -----        -----        -----       -----       -----       -----        -----

Income From Investment Operations

  Net Investment Income (Loss) .............     --        (0.01)(2)      0.01       (0.04)      (0.04)       0.06         0.01

  Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
  on Investment Transactions ...............    1.41         1.24         0.40        0.57        1.78        0.41         0.22
                                                -----        -----        -----       -----       -----       -----        -----
  Total From Investment Operations .........    1.41         1.23         0.41        0.53        1.74        0.47         0.23
                                                -----        -----        -----       -----       -----       -----        -----
Distributions

  From Net Investment Income ...............     --         (0.01)         --          --        (0.04)      (0.01)         --

  In Excess of Net Investment Income .......     --           --           --          --        (0.15)       --(3)         --

  From Net Realized Gains
  on Investment Transactions ...............   (0.92)         --         (0.37)      (0.40)        --          --           --
                                                -----        -----        -----       -----       -----       -----        -----
  Total Distributions ......................   (0.92)       (0.01)       (0.37)      (0.40)      (0.19)      (0.01)         --
                                                -----        -----        -----       -----       -----       -----        -----
Net Asset Value, End of Period .............    $9.22        $8.73        $7.51       $7.47       $7.34       $5.79        $5.33
                                                =====        =====        =====       =====       =====       =====        =====

  Total Return(4) ..........................   18.12%       16.35%        5.93%       7.28%      31.04%       8.77%        4.51%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses
to Average Net Assets ......................  1.38%(5)     1.65%(5)       1.77%       1.84%       1.90%       1.91%      1.93%(6)

Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss)
to Average Net Assets ......................    0.04%       (0.07)%       0.25%      (0.53)%     (0.34)%      0.95%      0.26%(6)

Portfolio Turnover Rate ....................    163%         158%         169%        242%        255%        180%          84%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded ............   $0.0069      $0.0195      $0.0020      --(7)       --(7)       --(7)        --(7)

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ... $1,728,617   $1,342,608   $1,210,442   $1,316,642  $759,238    $215,346      $43,076
</TABLE>
- ----------
(1) May 9, 1991 (inception) through November 30, 1991.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Amount was less than $0.01 per share.

(4) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(5) The manager had voluntarily waived a portion of its management fee effective
    August 1, 1996  through  July 31,  1997.  In absence of the  management  fee
    waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses to average net assets  would have
    been 1.56% and 1.76% for the years ended  November 30, 1997 and November 30,
    1996, respectively.

(6) Annualized.

(7) Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity  security traded
    was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.

6  PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS           AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                           INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

  The  Institutional  Class of the  fund  was  established  September  3,  1996,
however,  no shares had been issued  prior to the fund's  fiscal  year end.  The
financial  information  in this table  reflects  the  performance  of the fund's
Investor  Class of shares,  which has a total expense ratio that is 0.20% higher
than the Institutional  Class. Had the Institutional Class been in existence for
the fund for the time  periods  presented,  the fund's  performance  information
would be higher as a result of the lower expenses.

  The Financial  Highlights  for the fiscal year ended  November 30, 1997,  have
been  audited by  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  whose  report
thereon appears in the fund's annual report,  which is incorporated by reference
into the  Statement  of  Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains
additional  performance  information and will be made available upon request and
without  charge.  The  Financial  Highlights  for the periods ended on or before
November  30,  1996,  have  been  audited  by other  independent  auditors.  The
information  presented  is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the years ended
November 30, except as noted.

                                                             1997                1996               1995           1994(1)
PER-SHARE DATA

<S>                                                 <C>                 <C>                 <C>             <C>          
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period .............  $        7.60       $        5.70       $        5.39   $        5.00
                                                    -------------       -------------       -------------   -------------
Income From Investment Operations

Net Investment Income (Loss) .....................          (0.03)              (0.02)(2)            0.03           (0.02)

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
on Investment Transactions .......................           1.31                1.95                0.28            0.41
                                                    -------------       -------------       -------------   -------------
Total From Investment Operations .................           1.28                1.93                0.31            0.39
                                                    -------------       -------------       -------------   -------------
Distributions

From Net Investment Income .......................          (0.02)              (0.01)               --              --

In Excess of Net Investment Income ...............           --                 (0.02)               --              --

From Net Realized Gains on Investment Transactions          (0.32)               --                  --              --
                                                    -------------       -------------       -------------   -------------
Total Distributions ..............................          (0.34)              (0.03)               --              --
                                                    -------------       -------------       -------------   -------------
Net Asset Value, End of Period ...................  $        8.54       $        7.60       $        5.70   $        5.39
                                                    =============       =============       =============   =============

Total Return(3) ..................................          17.76%              34.06%               5.75%           7.80%


RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses
to Average Net Assets ............................           1.70%(4)            1.88%(4)            2.00%           2.00%(5)

Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss)
to Average Net Assets ............................          (0.37)%             (0.31)%              0.27%     (0.48)%(5)

Portfolio Turnover Rate ..........................            146%                130%                168%             56%

Average Commission Paid per
Share of Equity Security Traded ..................  $      0.0054       $      0.0054       $      0.0040           --(6)

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) .........  $     626,327       $     377,128       $     114,579   $     111,202
</TABLE>
- ----------

(1) April 1, 1994 (inception) through November 30, 1994.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(4) The manager had voluntarily waived a portion of its management fee effective
    August 1, 1996  through  July 31,  1997.  In absence of the  management  fee
    waiver,  the ratio of  operating  expenses to average net assets  would have
    been 1.87%  and1.99%  for the years ended  November  30,  1997 and  November
    30,1996, respectively.

(5) Annualized.

(6) Disclosure of average  commission  paid per share of equity  security traded
    was not required prior to the year ended November 30, 1995.


PROSPECTUS                  PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS             7


                    PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS
                               EMERGING MARKETS

  The  Institutional  Class of the  fund was  established  September  30,  1997,
however,  no shares had been issued  prior to the fund's  fiscal  year end.  The
financial  information  in this table  reflects  the  performance  of the fund's
Investor  class of shares,  which has a total expense ratio that is 0.20% higher
than the Institutional  Class. Had the Institutional Class been in existence for
the fund for the time  periods  presented,  the fund's  performance  information
would be higher as a result of the lower expenses.

  The  Financial  Highlights  for the  period  presented,  have been  audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, whose report thereon appears in the
fund's annual report,  which is  incorporated by reference into the Statement of
Additional  Information.  The  annual  report  contains  additional  performance
information  and  will  be made  available  without  charge  upon  request.  The
information  presented is for a share  outstanding  throughout  the period ended
November 30.


                                                                      1997(1)
PER-SHARE DATA

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period ........................  $       5.00
                                                               ------------
Loss From Investment Operations

Net Investment Loss(2) ......................................         (0.01)

Net Realized and Unrealized Loss
on Investment Transactions ..................................         (0.84)
                                                               ------------
Total From Investment Operations ............................         (0.85)
                                                               ------------
Net Asset Value, End of Period ..............................  $       4.15
                                                               ============

Total Return(3) .............................................        (17.00)%


RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Ratio of Operating Expenses to Average Net Assets ...........          2.00%(4)

Ratio of Net Investment Loss to Average Net Assets ..........    (0.74)%(4)

Portfolio Turnover Rate .....................................            36%

Average Commission Paid per Share of Equity Security Traded .  $     0.0012

Net Assets, End of Period (in thousands) ....................  $     11,830

(1) September 30, 1997 (inception) through November 30, 1997.

(2) Computed using average shares outstanding throughout the period.

(3) Total  return   assumes   reinvestment   of  dividends   and  capital  gains
    distributions,  if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not
    annualized.

(4) Annualized.
    

8     PERFORMANCE INFORMATION OF OTHER CLASS   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                        INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS

INVESTMENT POLICIES OF THE FUNDS

   
    The funds have adopted certain investment restrictions that are set forth in
the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Those  restrictions,  as well as the
investment objectives of the funds identified on page 2 of this Prospectus,  and
any other investment  policies designated as "fundamental" in this Prospectus or
in  the  Statement  of  Additional   Information,   cannot  be  changed  without
shareholder approval.  The funds have implemented additional investment policies
and  practices  to guide their  activities  in the  pursuit of their  respective
investment  objectives.  These  policies  and  practices,  which  are  described
throughout this Prospectus,  are not designated as fundamental  policies and may
be changed without shareholder approval.
    

    YOU SHOULD READ AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION UNDER "RISK FACTORS,"
PAGE 12, BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS.

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

    The investment objective of the International Growth Fund is capital growth.
The fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in
securities  of foreign  issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical
standards  of selection  (relating  primarily  to  acceleration  of earnings and
revenues) and have, in the opinion of the manager,  potential for  appreciation.
The fund will invest  primarily in issuers in developed  markets.  The fund will
invest primarily in equity securities (defined to include equity equivalents) of
such  issuers  and will  attempt  to stay  fully  invested  in such  securities,
regardless of the movement of stock prices generally.

    Although the primary investment of the fund will be equity  securities,  the
fund  may  also  invest  in  other  types  of  securities  consistent  with  the
accomplishment  of the fund's  objectives.  When the manager  believes  that the
total  return  potential  of other  securities  equals or exceeds the  potential
return  of  equity  securities,  the fund  may  invest  up to 35% in such  other
securities.

    The  other  securities  the fund may  invest  in are  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their  agencies.  The fund  will  limit  its  purchases  of debt  securities  to
investment-grade  obligations.  For  long-term  debt  obligations  this includes
securities that are rated Baa or better by Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc. or
BBB or  better  by  Standard  & Poor's  Corporation,  or that are not  rated but
considered  by the manager to be of  equivalent  quality.  According to Moody's,
bonds rated Baa are medium-grade and possess some speculative characteristics. A
BBB rating by S&P indicates S&P's belief that a security exhibits a satisfactory
degree of safety and capacity for repayment,  but is more  vulnerable to adverse
economic   conditions   or  changing   circumstances   than  is  the  case  with
higher-quality  debt securities.  See "An Explanation Of Fixed Income Securities
Ratings" in the Statement of Additional Information.

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

    The  investment  objective of the  International  Discovery  Fund is capital
growth.  The fund will seek to achieve its  investment  objective  by  investing
primarily in an  internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity securities of
issuers  that meet  certain  fundamental  and  technical  standards of selection
(relating  primarily to  acceleration  of earnings and revenues).  The fund will
invest its assets  primarily in equity  securities  of smaller  foreign  issuers
(those issuers having,  at the time of investment,  a market  capitalization  of
less than U.S. $1 billion or a public float of less than U.S. $500 million). The
"public  float" of an issuer is defined  as the  aggregate  market  value of the
issuer's  outstanding  securities held by non-affiliates of the issuer. The fund
may invest up to 50% of its assets in securities  of issuers in emerging  market
countries.

    DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGY,
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE  FOR ALL  INVESTORS.  See "Risk
Factors," page 12.

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,


PROSPECTUS                      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS     9


governments and governmental entities, as well as corporations, partnerships and
other business organizations.  The manager believes that common stocks and other
equity and equity equivalent  securities ordinarily offer the greatest potential
for  capital  appreciation  and  will  constitute  the  majority  of the  fund's
investments.  The fund may invest, however, in any security the manager believes
has the potential for capital  appreciation.  The other  securities the fund may
invest in include bonds,  notes and debt securities of companies and obligations
of domestic or foreign governments and their agencies.  The fund will attempt to
stay  fully  invested  regardless  of the  movement  of stock  and  bond  prices
generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below-investment-grade  fixed income  securities.  See "An  Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

    To enhance the fund's  liquidity,  at least 50% of the fund's assets will be
invested in developed market countries at all times.  However, the percentage of
the assets of the fund invested in developed and emerging  markets will vary as,
in the opinion of the manager,  market conditions  warrant.  No more than 15% of
the fund's assets may be invested in illiquid investments at any time.

EMERGING MARKETS

    The investment objective of the Emerging Markets Fund is capital growth. The
fund will seek to achieve its investment  objective by investing primarily in an
internationally  diversified  portfolio of equity  securities  that meet certain
fundamental  and  technical   standards  of  selection  (relating  primarily  to
acceleration  of  earnings  and  revenues).  The fund  will  invest  its  assets
primarily  in the  securities  of  issuers in  emerging  market  countries.  The
securities  in which the fund may  invest  include  not only the  securities  of
issuers  located or principally  traded in emerging market  countries,  but also
include the  securities of issuers  which derive a significant  portion of their
business from emerging market countries. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH  INVESTING  IN  EMERGING  MARKETS,  AN  INVESTMENT  IN THE  FUND MAY NOT BE
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL INVESTORS. See "Risk Factors," page 12.

    The  fund  may  invest  in  securities  of any  type  of  issuer,  including
closed-end investment companies,  governments and governmental entities, as well
as  corporations,  partnerships  and other business  organizations.  The manager
believes  that common stocks and other equity and equity  equivalent  securities
ordinarily  offer the  greatest  potential  for  capital  appreciation  and will
constitute the majority of the fund's investments. The fund may invest, however,
in any security the manager believes has the potential for capital appreciation.
The other  securities  the fund may  invest  in  include  bonds,  notes and debt
securities of companies and  obligations of domestic or foreign  governments and
their agencies.  The fund will attempt to stay fully invested  regardless of the
movement of stock and bond prices generally.

    There are no credit  quality or  maturity  restrictions  with  regard to the
bonds,  corporate debt securities,  and government obligations in which the fund
may  invest,  although  less than 35% of the fund's  assets  will be invested in
below  investment  grade fixed income  securities.  See "An Explanation of Fixed
Income  Securities  Ratings" in the  Statement of Additional  Information.  Debt
securities,  especially those of issuers in emerging market countries, may be of
poor quality and speculative in nature. While these securities will primarily be
chosen for their  appreciation  potential,  the fund may also take the potential
for income into account when selecting investments.

POLICIES APPLICABLE TO ALL FUNDS

    Under normal conditions, each fund will invest at least 65% of its assets in
equity and equity equivalent securities of issuers from at least three countries
outside of the United States.  While  securities of U.S. issuers may be included
in the portfolio from time to time, it is the primary intent of the manager

10  INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS                 AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

to diversify  investments in a fund across a broad range of foreign issuers. The
manager  defines  "foreign  issuer" as an issuer of securities that is domiciled
outside  the  United  States,  derives  at least 50% of its total  revenue  from
production or sales outside the United States, or whose principal trading market
is outside the United States.

    The  funds  may  make  foreign   investments   either  directly  in  foreign
securities, or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares
or similar instruments (DRs) for foreign securities. DRs are securities that are
listed on  exchanges  or quoted in  over-the-counter  markets in one country but
represent  shares of issuers  domiciled in another  country.  The funds may also
purchase  securities  of such  issuers  in  foreign  markets,  either on foreign
securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets.

    The funds may also invest in other equity securities and equity equivalents.
Other equity securities and equity  equivalents  include  securities that permit
the funds to receive an equity interest in an issuer, the opportunity to acquire
an equity  interest in an issuer,  or the opportunity to receive a return on its
investment  that  permits  the fund to benefit  from the growth over time in the
equity of an issuer.  Examples of other equity securities and equity equivalents
are  preferred   stock,   convertible   preferred  stock  and  convertible  debt
securities. Equity equivalents may also include securities whose value or return
is derived from the value or return of a different  security.  An example of one
type of  derivative  security  in which the funds might  invest is a  depositary
receipt.

    Notwithstanding  the  funds'  respective  investment  objectives  of capital
growth,  under  exceptional  market  or  economic  conditions,   each  fund  may
temporarily  invest  all or a  substantial  portion  of its  assets  in  cash or
investment-grade  short-term securities  (denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign
currencies).

    To the extent a fund assumes a defensive  position,  it will not be pursuing
its investment objective of capital growth.

    In addition to other  factors that will affect  their value,  the value of a
fund's investments in fixed income securities will change as prevailing interest
rates change.  In general,  the prices of such  securities  vary  inversely with
interest rates. As prevailing interest rates fall, the prices of bonds and other
securities  that trade on a yield basis rise.  When  prevailing  interest  rates
rise, bond prices generally fall. These changes in value may, depending upon the
particular amount and type of fixed income securities holdings of a fund, impact
the net asset value of that fund's shares.  See "How Share Price Is Determined,"
page 25.

    In order to  achieve  maximum  investment  flexibility,  the funds  have not
established   geographic   limits   on   asset   distribution,   on   either   a
country-by-country or region-by-region basis. The manager expects to invest both
in issuers in developed markets (such as Germany,  the United Kingdom and Japan)
and in issuers in emerging market countries.

    The funds consider "emerging market countries" to include all countries that
are  generally  considered  to  be  developing  or  emerging  countries  by  the
International Bank for  Reconstruction and Development  (commonly referred to as
the World Bank) and the  International  Finance  Corporation  (IFC),  as well as
countries that are  classified by the United  Nations as developing.  Currently,
the  countries  not  included in this  category are the United  States,  Canada,
Japan, the United Kingdom,  Germany,  Austria,  France, Italy,  Ireland,  Spain,
Belgium,  the  Netherlands,   Switzerland,  Sweden,  Finland,  Norway,  Denmark,
Australia and New Zealand. In addition, as used in this Prospectus,  "securities
of issuers in emerging  market  countries"  means (i)  securities of issuers the
principal  securities  trading market for which is an emerging  market  country,
(ii) securities,  regardless of where traded, of issuers that derive 50% or more
of their total revenue from either goods or services produced in emerging market
countries or sales made in emerging  market  countries,  or (iii)  securities of
issuers having their principal place of business or principal office in emerging
market countries.

    The principal  criteria for inclusion of a security in a fund's portfolio is
its ability to meet the fundamental and technical standards of selection and, in
the opinion of the manager, to achieve better-than-average  appreciation. If, in
the opinion of the manager,  a particular  security  satisfies  these  principal
criteria,  the security may be included in the fund's  portfolio,  regardless of
the location of the issuer or the  percentage of the fund's  investments  in the
issuer's country (subject to the investment  policies of the particular fund) or
region.

PROSPECTUS                          INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS      11

    At the same time, however, the manager recognizes that both the selection of
a fund's  individual  securities  and the allocation of the  portfolio's  assets
across  different  countries  and regions are  important  factors in managing an
international  portfolio.  For this  reason,  the manager  will also  consider a
number of other factors in making investment selections including: the prospects
for relative economic growth among countries or regions,  economic and political
conditions,  expected  inflation rates,  currency exchange  fluctuations and tax
considerations.

RISK FACTORS

INVESTING IN FOREIGN SECURITIES GENERALLY

    Investing in securities of foreign issuers generally  involves greater risks
than investing in the securities of domestic  companies.  As with any investment
in  securities,  the value of an investment in the funds can decrease as well as
increase,  depending  upon a variety of factors  which may affect the values and
income generated by the funds' portfolio securities.  Potential investors should
carefully consider the following factors:

    Currency Risk. The value of the foreign investments held by the funds may be
significantly  affected by changes in currency  exchange rates. The dollar value
of a foreign  security  generally  decreases  when the value of the dollar rises
against the foreign  currency in which the security is denominated  and tends to
increase when the value of the dollar falls against such currency.  In addition,
the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other  expenses  incurred
in converting  between various  currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign
securities and by currency restrictions,  exchange control regulation,  currency
devaluations and political developments.

    Political And Economic Risk. The economies of many of the countries in which
the funds invest are not as  developed  as the economy of the United  States and
may  be  subject  to  significantly   different  forces.   Political  or  social
instability,  expropriation,  nationalization,  or  confiscatory  taxation,  and
limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, could also adversely affect
the value of investments.  Further,  the funds may encounter  difficulties or be
unable to enforce ownership rights, pursue legal remedies or obtain judgments in
foreign courts.

    Regulatory  Risk.  Foreign  companies  are  generally  not  subject  to  the
regulatory  controls  imposed on U.S.  issuers  and, in  general,  there is less
publicly available  information about foreign securities than is available about
domestic  securities.   Many  foreign  companies  are  not  subject  to  uniform
accounting,   auditing  and  financial   reporting   standards,   practices  and
requirements  comparable to those applicable to domestic companies.  Income from
foreign securities owned by the funds may be reduced by a withholding tax at the
source which would reduce dividend income payable to shareholders.  See "Taxes,"
page 26.

    Market And Trading Risk.  Brokerage  commission rates in foreign  countries,
which are generally  fixed rather than subject to  negotiation  as in the United
States, are likely to be higher. The securities markets in many of the countries
in which the funds invest will have  substantially  less trading volume than the
principal U.S. markets.  As a result,  the securities of some companies in these
countries may be less liquid and more volatile than comparable U.S.  securities.
Furthermore,  one securities  broker may represent all or a significant  part of
the trading  volume in a particular  country,  resulting in higher trading costs
and decreased liquidity due to a lack of alternative trading partners.  There is
generally less government regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges,
brokers  and  issuers  which  may  make  it  difficult  to  enforce  contractual
obligations.

    Clearance  And  Settlement  Risk.   Foreign  securities  markets  also  have
different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have
been times  when  settlements  have been  unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities  transactions,  making it  difficult  to conduct  such  transactions.
Delays in clearance and settlement could result in temporary periods when assets
of the funds are  uninvested and no return is earned  thereon.  The inability of
the funds to make intended  security  purchases due to clearance and  settlement
problems  could  cause the funds to miss  attractive  investment  opportunities.
Inability to dispose of portfolio  securities  due to clearance  and  settlement
problems  could result either in losses to the funds due to subsequent  declines
in value of the  portfolio  security or, if the fund has entered into a contract
to sell the security, liability to the purchaser.


12     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
    Ownership  Risk.  Evidence of securities  ownership may be uncertain in many
foreign countries. In many of these countries,  the most notable of which is the
Russian Federation,  the ultimate evidence of securities  ownership is the share
register held by the issuing company or its registrar.  While some companies may
issue share  certificates  or provide  extracts of the company's share register,
these  are  not  negotiable  instruments  and  are  not  effective  evidence  of
securities  ownership.  In an ownership dispute, the company's share register is
controlling.  As a result,  there is a risk that a fund's trade details could be
incorrectly or  fraudulently  entered on the issuer's share register at the time
of the  transaction,  or that a fund's  ownership  position could  thereafter be
altered or deleted  entirely  resulting  in a loss to the fund.  While the funds
intend to invest  directly in Russian  companies  which  utilize an  independent
registrar,  there can be no assurance that such investments will not result in a
loss to the funds.
    

    As a result,  these funds are  intended  for  aggressive  investors  seeking
significant  gains through  investments in foreign  securities.  Those investors
must be willing and able to accept the  significantly  greater risks  associated
with the  investment  strategy that the funds will pursue.  An investment in the
funds  should  not  be  considered  a  complete  investment  program  and is not
appropriate for individuals with limited investment  resources or who are unable
to tolerate fluctuations in the value of their investment.

INVESTING IN SMALLER COMPANIES

    International  Discovery  will invest  primarily in  securities of companies
having, at the time of investment,  a market capitalization of less than U.S. $1
billion  or a  public  float of less  than  U.S.  $500  million.  These  smaller
companies may present greater  opportunities for capital  appreciation,  but may
also involve greater risks than large,  mature issuers.  Such companies may have
limited product lines, markets or financial resources,  and their securities may
trade less  frequently  and in more limited volume than the securities of larger
companies. In addition,  available information regarding these smaller companies
may be less available and, when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.  The
securities of such companies may also be more likely to be delisted from trading
on their  primary  domestic  exchange.  As a result,  the  securities of smaller
companies may experience  significantly more price volatility and less liquidity
than securities of larger  companies,  and this volatility and limited liquidity
may be reflected in the net asset value of the fund.

INVESTING IN EMERGING MARKET COUNTRIES

    Each of the funds  included in this  Prospectus  may invest in securities of
issuers in emerging market  countries.  Investing in emerging  market  countries
involves exposure to significantly  higher risk than investing in countries with
developed markets.  Emerging market countries may have economic  structures that
are generally less diverse and mature and political systems that can be expected
to be less stable than those of developed countries.

    Securities  prices in emerging market  countries can be  significantly  more
volatile than in developed  countries,  reflecting the greater  uncertainties of
investing in lesser  developed  markets and economies.  In particular,  emerging
market countries may have relatively unstable  governments,  and may present the
risk of nationalization of businesses, expropriation,  confiscatory taxation or,
in certain instances,  reversion to closed market,  centrally planned economies.
Such countries may also have  restrictions on foreign  ownership or prohibitions
on the  repatriation of assets,  and may have less protection of property rights
than developed countries.

    The economies of emerging  market  countries may be  predominantly  based on
only a few industries or dependent on revenues from particular commodities or on
international aid or development assistance, may be highly vulnerable to changes
in local or global  trade  conditions,  and may suffer from extreme and volatile
debt burdens or inflation  rates.  In addition,  securities  markets in emerging
market  countries  may trade a small number of  securities  and may be unable to
respond effectively to increases in trading volume,  potentially  resulting in a
lack of liquidity and greater  volatility  in the price of securities  traded on
those markets.

    The  funds may not  always  purchase  securities  on the  principal  market.
Depositary receipts, depositary shares, or other equity equivalents (DRs) may be
purchased if considered to be more  attractive  than the underlying  securities.
DRs are typically issued by a bank or trust company evidencing ownership of an


PROSPECTUS                 INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS                 13


underlying foreign security. In emerging markets countries, the funds may invest
in DRs which are structured by a bank or trust company  without the  sponsorship
of the underlying foreign issuer. In addition to the risks of foreign investment
applicable  to the  underlying  securities,  such  unsponsored  DRs may  also be
subject to the risks  that the  foreign  issuer may not be obliged to  cooperate
with the bank,  may not provide  financial or other  information to the bank, or
may dispute or refuse to recognize  the ownership of the  underlying  securities
which may result in a loss of the fund's investment.

INVESTING IN LOWER-QUALITY DEBT INSTRUMENTS

    There are no credit,  maturity  or  investment  amount  restrictions  on the
bonds,   corporate  debt  securities,   and  government   obligations  in  which
International  Discovery  and  Emerging  Markets  may invest.  Debt  securities,
especially those in emerging market countries,  may be of poor quality,  unrated
and speculative in nature.  Debt  securities  rated lower than Baa by Moody's or
BBB by S&P or  their  equivalent,  sometimes  referred  to as  junk  bonds,  are
considered by many to be predominately speculative. See "An Explanation of Fixed
Income Securities Ratings" in the Statement of Additional  Information.  Changes
in  economic  conditions  or other  circumstances  are more  likely to lead to a
weakened  capacity to make  principal and interest  payments on such  securities
than is the case  with  higher-quality  debt  securities.  Regardless  of rating
levels, all debt securities  considered for purchase by the fund are analyzed by
the manager to determine,  to the extent reasonably  possible,  that the planned
investment is sound given the investment objective of the fund.

OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES, THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
AND RISKS

    For additional information,  see "Additional Investment Restrictions" in the
Statement of Additional Information.

FORWARD CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

   
    Some of the  foreign  securities  held by the  funds may be  denominated  in
foreign  currencies.  Other  securities,  such as  depositary  receipts,  may be
denominated  in  U.S.  dollars,  but  have a  value  that  is  dependent  on the
performance  of a  foreign  security,  as  valued  in the  currency  of its home
country. As a result, the value of a fund's portfolio may be affected by changes
in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar, as well as
by changes in the market values of the securities themselves. The performance of
foreign  currencies  relative to the U.S.  dollar may be a factor in the overall
performance of a fund.
    

    To protect against adverse  movements in exchange rates between  currencies,
the funds may, for hedging purposes only,  enter into forward currency  exchange
contracts.  A forward currency exchange contract  obligates the fund to purchase
or sell a specific currency at a future date at a specific price.

    A fund may elect to enter into a forward  currency  exchange  contract  with
respect to a specific  purchase  or sale of a security,  or with  respect to the
fund's portfolio positions generally.

    By entering into a forward  currency  exchange  contract with respect to the
specific  purchase or sale of a security  denominated in a foreign  currency,  a
fund can "lock in" an exchange rate between the trade and  settlement  dates for
that purchase or sale.  This practice is sometimes  referred to as  "transaction
hedging." Each fund may enter into transaction hedging contracts with respect to
all or a substantial portion of its foreign securities trades.

    When the manager  believes  that a particular  currency may decline in value
compared to the U.S.  dollar,  a fund may enter into forward  currency  exchange
contracts  to sell the value of some or all of the fund's  portfolio  securities
either  denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.  This practice
is  sometimes  referred to as  "portfolio  hedging." A fund may not enter into a
portfolio  hedging  transaction where it would be obligated to deliver an amount
of foreign currency in excess of the aggregate value of its portfolio securities
or other assets denominated in, or whose value is tied to, that currency.

    Each  fund  will  make  use  of  portfolio  hedging  to  the  extent  deemed
appropriate by the manager.  However,  it is anticipated  that a fund will enter
into portfolio hedges much less frequently than transaction hedges.

    If a fund enters into a forward currency exchange  contract,  the fund, when
required, will instruct its custodian bank to segregate cash or liquid high-


14      INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS          AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


grade  securities  in a separate  account in an amount  sufficient  to cover its
obligation under the contract.  Those assets will be valued at market daily, and
if  the  value  of  the  segregated  securities  declines,  additional  cash  or
securities  will be added so that the value of the  account is not less than the
amount of the fund's commitment. At any given time, no more than 10% of a fund's
assets will be committed to a segregated  account in connection  with  portfolio
hedging transactions.

    Predicting the relative future values of currencies is very  difficult,  and
there is no  assurance  that any  attempt  to  protect  a fund  against  adverse
currency  movements through the use of forward currency exchange  contracts will
be successful. In addition, the use of forward currency exchange contracts tends
to limit the  potential  gains that might  result from a positive  change in the
relationship between the foreign currency and the U.S. dollar.

INDIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT

    Subject to certain  restrictions  contained in the  Investment  Company Act,
each  fund may  invest  up to 10% of its  assets in  certain  foreign  countries
indirectly  through  investment  funds  and  registered   investment   companies
authorized  to invest in those  countries.  If the  funds  invest in  investment
companies,  the funds will bear their proportionate shares of the costs incurred
by such companies, including investment advisory fees, if any.

SOVEREIGN DEBT OBLIGATIONS

    The funds may purchase  sovereign debt  instruments  issued or guaranteed by
foreign  governments  or  their  agencies,  including  debt of  emerging  market
countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other
types of debt instruments such as loans or loan  participations.  Sovereign debt
of emerging market countries may involve a high degree of risk and may present a
risk of default or renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

   
    The  portfolio  turnover  rates of the  funds  are  shown  in the  financial
information of this Prospectus.
    

    Investment  decisions  to  purchase  and sell  securities  are  based on the
anticipated contribution of the security in question to a fund's objectives. The
manager  believes  that the rate of  portfolio  turnover is  irrelevant  when it
determine a change is in order to achieve those objectives and, accordingly, the
annual portfolio turnover rate cannot be anticipated.

    The portfolio  turnover of a fund may be higher than other mutual funds with
similar investment  objectives.  Higher turnover would generate  correspondingly
greater  brokerage  commissions  that the funds pay directly.  Higher  portfolio
turnover may also increase the  likelihood of realized  capital  gains,  if any,
distributed by the fund. See "Taxes," page 26.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

    Each fund may invest in repurchase agreements when such transactions present
an attractive  short-term return on cash that is not otherwise  committed to the
purchase of securities pursuant to the investment policies of that fund.

   
    A  repurchase  agreement  occurs  when,  at the time the fund  purchases  an
interest-bearing  obligation,  the seller (a bank or a broker-dealer  registered
under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934)  agrees  to  repurchase  it on a
specified  date in the future at an  agreed-upon  price.  The  repurchase  price
reflects  an  agreed-upon  interest  rate  during the time the  fund's  money is
invested in the security.

    Since  the  security  purchased  constitutes  security  for  the  repurchase
obligation,  a repurchase  agreement can be considered a loan  collateralized by
the security purchased.  The fund's risk is the ability of the seller to pay the
agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the
fund may incur costs in  disposing  of the  collateral,  which would  reduce the
amount realized  thereon.  If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws,
the  disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited.  To the extent the
value of the security decreases, the fund could experience a loss.

    The funds will limit repurchase agreement  transactions to securities issued
by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities,  and will enter into
such  transactions  only with those banks and securities  dealers who are deemed
creditworthy pursuant to criteria adopted by the funds' Board of Directors.
    


PROSPECTUS                 INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS                15


   
FUTURES AND OPTIONS

    The funds may invest in financial futures  contracts and options thereon.  A
financial  futures  contract  is an  agreement  to take or  make  delivery  of a
financial  asset or an amount of cash, as specified in the applicable  contract,
at some time in the future.  The value of the asset or cash to be  delivered  at
the end of the contract period is calculated  based upon the difference in value
between  the  making of the  contract  and the end of the  contract  period of a
financial index, indicator or security underlying the futures contract.

    Rather than  actually  purchasing a financial  asset (e.g.,  a long or short
term treasury  security) or all of the securities  contained in a specific index
(e.g., the S&P 500), the manager may choose to purchase a futures contract which
reflects the value of such securities or index. For example,  an S&P 500 futures
contract  reflects the value of the  underlying  companies that comprise the S&P
500  Composite  Stock Price Index.  If the  aggregate  market value of the index
securities  increases  or  decreases  during the  contract  period of an S&P 500
futures contract, the amount of cash to be paid to the contractholder at the end
of the period  would  correspondingly  increase or  decrease.  As a result,  the
manager is able to expose to the  market  cash that is held by the funds to meet
anticipated redemptions or for future investment opportunities.  Because futures
contracts  generally settle more quickly than their underlying  securities,  the
manager believes that the use of futures and options thereon allows the funds to
be fully invested while maintaining the needed liquidity.

    The funds will not  purchase  leveraged  futures.  When a fund enters into a
futures  contract,  it  must  make  a  deposit  of  cash  or  high-quality  debt
securities,  known as "initial  margin," as partial security for its performance
under the  contract.  As the value of the  contract  fluctuates,  a party to the
contract may be required to make additional margin payments, known as "variation
margin," to cover a portion of such  fluctuation.  A fund will also deposit in a
segregated  account with its custodian bank cash or high-quality debt securities
in an amount equal to the fund's payment  obligation under the futures contract,
less any initial or variation  margin.  For options sold, a fund will  segregate
cash or  high-quality  debt  securities  equal to the  value  of the  securities
underlying the option unless the option is otherwise covered.
    

WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES

    Each fund may  purchase  new issues of  securities  on a  when-issued  basis
without limit when, in the opinion of the manager,  such  purchases will further
the investment  objectives of the fund.  The price of when-issued  securities is
established  at the time the  commitment  to  purchase  is  made.  In  developed
markets,  delivery of and payment for these securities  typically occur 15 to 45
days after the commitment to purchase. In emerging markets, delivery and payment
may take significantly longer.

    Market rates of interest on debt  securities  at the time of delivery may be
higher  or  lower  than  those  contracted  for  on  the  when-issued  security.
Accordingly,  the value of such  security may decline  prior to delivery,  which
could result in a loss to the fund. A separate  account for each fund consisting
of cash or  high-quality  liquid debt  securities in an amount at least equal to
the  when-issued  commitments  will  be  established  and  maintained  with  the
custodian. No income will accrue to the fund prior to delivery.

SHORT SALES

    A fund may engage in short sales if, at the time of the short sale, the fund
owns or has the right to acquire securities equivalent in kind and amount to the
securities being sold short. Such  transactions  allow the fund to hedge against
price fluctuations by locking in a sale price for securities it does not wish to
sell immediately.

    A fund may make a short sale when it wants to sell the security it owns at a
current  attractive  price, but also wishes to defer recognition of gain or loss
for federal  income tax purposes and for purposes of  satisfying  certain  tests
applicable to regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code and
Regulations.

RULE 144A SECURITIES

    The funds may, from time to time,  purchase Rule 144A  securities  when they
present  attractive  investment  opportunities  that  otherwise  meet the funds'
criteria for selection.  Rule 144A  securities are securities that are privately
placed with and traded among qualified  institutional  investors rather than the
general  public.  Although  Rule  144A  securities  are  considered  "restricted
securities," they are not necessarily illiquid.

    With respect to securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A, the staff of
the SEC has taken the  position  that the  liquidity of such  securities  in the
portfolio of


16     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS         AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


a fund  offering  redeemable  securities  is a question of fact for the Board of
Directors to determine,  such  determination to be based upon a consideration of
the  readily  available  trading  markets  and  the  review  of any  contractual
restrictions. The staff also acknowledges that, while the Board retains ultimate
responsibility,  it may delegate this function to the manager.  Accordingly, the
Board has established guidelines and procedures for determining the liquidity of
Rule 144A  securities and has delegated the  day-to-day  function of determining
the  liquidity of Rule 144A  securities  to the manager.  The Board  retains the
responsibility to monitor the implementation of the guidelines and procedures it
has adopted.

    Since the  secondary  market  for such  securities  is  limited  to  certain
qualified  institutional  investors,  the  liquidity of such  securities  may be
limited accordingly and a fund may, from time to time, hold a Rule 144A security
that is illiquid. In such an event, the funds' manager will consider appropriate
remedies to minimize  the effect on such  fund's  liquidity.  No fund may invest
more than 15% of its assets in illiquid  securities  (securities that may not be
sold within seven days at  approximately  the price used in determining  the net
asset value of fund shares).

   
INVESTMENTS IN COMPANIES
WITH LIMITED OPERATING HISTORIES

    The funds may invest in the  securities  of issuers with  limited  operating
histories.  The manager  considers an issuer to have a limited operating history
if that issuer has a record of less than three years of continuous operation.

    Investments  in securities of issuers with limited  operating  histories may
involve greater risks than investments in securities of more mature issuers.  By
their  nature,  such issuers  present  limited  operating  history and financial
information upon which the manager may base its investment decision on behalf of
the funds. In addition,  financial and other information regarding such issuers,
when available, may be incomplete or inaccurate.

    International Growth will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the
securities   of  issuers  with  less  than  a  three-year   operating   history.
International  Discovery  and Emerging  Markets will not invest more than 10% of
their total  assets in the  securities  of issuers  with less than a  three-year
operating  history.  The manager  will  consider  periods of capital  formation,
incubation, consolidation, and research and development in determining whether a
particular issuer has a record of three years of continuous operation.
    

PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

   
    From  time  to  time,  the  funds  may  advertise   performance  data.  Fund
performance  may be shown by presenting  one or more  performance  measurements,
including  cumulative  total return or average annual total return.  Performance
data may be  quoted  separately  for the  Institutional  Class and for the other
classes.
    

    Cumulative  total  return data is computed by  considering  all  elements of
return,  including  reinvestment  of dividends and capital gains  distributions,
over a stated  period of time.  Average  annual  total return is  determined  by
computing  the annual  compound  return over a stated  period of time that would
have  produced  the fund's  cumulative  total return over the same period if the
fund's performance had remained constant throughout.

   
    The funds may also include in advertisements data comparing performance with
the performance of non-related  investment media,  published  editorial comments
and performance  rankings compiled by independent  organizations (such as Lipper
Analytical  Services,  Inc.) and  publications  that monitor the  performance of
mutual  funds.  Performance  information  may be  quoted  numerically  or may be
presented in a table, graph or other illustration. In addition, fund performance
may be  compared  to  well-known  indices of market  performance  including  the
Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Dow Jones World Index, the IFC Global Composite
Index and the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe,  Australia,  Far East
Index (EAFE Index). Fund performance may also be compared,  on a relative basis,
to other funds in our fund family. This relative comparison,  which may be based
upon historical fund performance or historical or

PROSPECTUS                          INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS      17

expected volatility or other fund characteristics, may be presented numerically,
graphically or in text.  Fund  performance  may also be combined or blended with
other funds in our fund family, and that combined or blended  performance may be
compared to the same indices to which individual funds may be compared.
    

    All performance  information advertised by the funds is historical in nature
and is not intended to represent or guarantee future results.  The value of fund
shares when redeemed may be more or less than their original cost.


18     INFORMATION REGARDING THE FUNDS        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS



                                 HOW TO INVEST
                      WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

    The funds  offered by this  Prospectus  are a part of the  American  Century
Investments  family  of  mutual  funds.  Our  family  provides  a full  range of
investment  opportunities,  from  the  aggressive  equity  growth  funds  in our
Twentieth  Century Group,  to the fixed income funds in our Benham Group, to the
moderate risk and specialty  funds in our American  Century  Group.  Please call
1-800-345-3533  for a  brochure  or  prospectuses  for the  other  funds  in the
American Century Investments family.

    To reduce  expenses and  demonstrate  respect for our  environment,  we have
initiated a project  through which we will  eliminate  duplicate  copies of most
financial  reports and  prospectuses  to most  households  and  deliver  account
statements to most households in a single envelope,  even if they have more than
one  account.  If you would like  additional  copies of  financial  reports  and
prospectuses or separate mailing of account statements, please call us.

INVESTING IN AMERICAN CENTURY

    The  following  sections  explain how to invest in American  Century  funds,
including purchases, redemptions,  exchanges and special services. You will find
more detail about doing  business with us by referring to the Investor  Services
Guide that you will receive when you open an account.

   
    If  you  own  or  are   considering   purchasing   fund  shares  through  an
employer-sponsored  retirement  plan or through a bank,  broker-dealer  or other
financial  intermediary,  the  following  sections,  as well as the  information
contained  in our Investor  Services  Guide,  may not apply to you.  Please read
"Minimum Investment," page 20 and "Customers of Banks,  Broker-Dealers and Other
Financial Intermediaries," page 24.
    

HOW TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT

    To open an account,  you must complete and sign an  application,  furnishing
your  taxpayer  identification  number.  (You must also certify  whether you are
subject to  withholding  for failing to report  income to the IRS.)  Investments
received without a certified taxpayer identification number will be returned.

    You may invest in the following ways:

BY MAIL

    Send a  completed  application  and  check or money  order  payable  in U.S.
dollars to American Century Investments.

BY WIRE

    You may make your initial  investment by wiring funds.  To do so, call us or
mail  a  completed   application  and  provide  your  bank  with  the  following
information:

(*)  RECEIVING BANK AND ROUTING NUMBER:

   Commerce Bank, N.A. (101000019)

(*)  BENEFICIARY (BNF):

   American Century Services Corporation

   4500 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri 64111

(*)  BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT NUMBER (BNF ACCT):

   2804918

(*)  REFERENCE FOR BENEFICIARY (RFB):

   American  Century  account number into which you are investing.  If more than
   one, leave blank and see Bank to Bank Information below.

(*)  ORIGINATOR TO BENEFICIARY (OBI):

   Name and address of owner of account into which you are investing.

(*)  BANK TO BANK INFORMATION
(BBI OR FREE FORM TEXT):

    *    Taxpayer identification or Social Security
         number.

    *    If more than one account,  account numbers and amount to be invested in
         each account.

   
    *    Current tax year, previous tax year or rollover  designation if an IRA.
         Specify  whether  traditional  IRA, Roth IRA,  Education IRA,  SEP-IRA,
         SARSEP-IRA, SIMPLE Employer or SIMPLE Employee.
    

BY EXCHANGE

    Call 1-800-345-3533 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time to get information on
opening an account by


PROSPECTUS               HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENT     19


exchanging  from  another  American  Century  account.  See  this  page for more
information on exchanges.

IN PERSON

    If you prefer to work with a representative  in person,  please visit one of
our Investor Centers, located at:

    4500 Main Street Kansas City, Missouri 64111

    4917 Town Center Drive Leawood, Kansas 66211

    1665 Charleston Road Mountain View, California 94043

    2000 S. Colorado Blvd. Denver, Colorado 80222

SUBSEQUENT INVESTMENTS

   
    Subsequent  investments  may  be  made  by an  automatic  bank,  payroll  or
government direct deposit (see "Automatic Investment Plan," this page) or by any
of  the  methods  below.  The  minimum  investment  requirement  for  subsequent
investments is $250 for checks submitted  without the investment slip portion of
a previous  statement or confirmation  and $50 for all other types of subsequent
investments.
    

BY MAIL

    When making subsequent  investments,  enclose your check with the investment
slip portion of a previous statement or confirmation.  If the investment slip is
not available, indicate your name, address and account number on your check or a
separate  piece of paper.  (Please  be aware  that the  investment  minimum  for
subsequent investments is higher without an investment slip.)

BY TELEPHONE

    Once your account is open, you may make investments by telephone if you have
authorized us (by choosing "Full Services" on your  application) to draw on your
bank account.  You may call an Institutional  Service  Representative or use our
Automated Information Line.

BY WIRE

   
    You may make  subsequent  investments  by  wire.  Follow  the wire  transfer
instructions on page 19 and indicate your account number.
    

IN PERSON

    You  may  make  subsequent  investments  in  person  at one of our  Investor
Centers. The locations of our Investor Centers are listed on this page.

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN

    You may  elect on your  application  to make  investments  automatically  by
authorizing us to draw on your bank account regularly.  Such investments must be
at least the  equivalent  of $50 per  month.  You also may  choose an  automatic
payroll or government  direct  deposit.  If you are  establishing a new account,
check the appropriate box under  "Automatic  Investments" on your application to
receive  more  information.  If you  would  like to add a direct  deposit  to an
existing account, please call an Institutional Service Representative.

MINIMUM INVESTMENT

    The  minimum  investment  is $5  million  ($3  million  for  endowments  and
foundations).  If you  invest  with us  through a bank,  broker-dealer  or other
financial  intermediary,  the  minimum  investment  requirement  may  be  met by
aggregating the  investments of various clients of your financial  intermediary.
The  minimum  investment  requirement  may be  waived  if you or your  financial
intermediary,  if applicable, has an aggregate investment in our family of funds
of $10 million or more ($5  million for  endowments  and  foundations).  If your
balance or the balance of your  financial  intermediary,  if  applicable,  falls
below the minimum  investment  requirements due to redemptions or exchanges,  we
reserve the right to convert  your shares to Investor  Class  shares of the same
fund.  The  Investor  Class shares have a unified  management  fee that is 0.20%
higher than the Institutional Class shares.

HOW TO EXCHANGE FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER

    As long as you meet any minimum  investment  requirements,  you may exchange
your fund  shares to our other  funds up to six times per year per  account.  An
exchange  request will be processed as of the same day it is received,  if it is
received  before the funds' net asset values are  calculated,  which is one hour
prior to the close of the New York Stock  Exchange  for funds issued by American
Century


20 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
Target  Maturities  Trust and at the close of the  Exchange for all of our other
funds. See "When Share Price is Determined," page 25.
    

    For any single exchange,  the shares of each fund being acquired must have a
value of at least $100.  However, we will allow investors to set up an Automatic
Exchange Plan between any two funds in the amount of at least $50 per month. See
our Investor Services Guide for further information about exchanges.

   
    If, in any 90-day period,  the total of your exchanges and your  redemptions
from any one account  exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the fund's assets,
further  exchanges  will be subject to special  requirements  to comply with our
policy on large redemptions.  See "Special  Requirements for Large Redemptions,"
page 22.
    

    IN ORDER TO  DISCOURAGE  THE EXCHANGE OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY AFTER THEIR PURCHASE,  EXCHANGE OF THOSE SHARES WITHIN 180 DAYS OF THEIR
PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE SHARES
EXCHANGED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the impact
such exchanges have on fund performance and, hence, on the other shareholders of
the fund. For the purposes of determining the  applicability of this fee, shares
first  purchased  will be  deemed to be the  shares  first  exchanged.  The fund
reserves  its right to modify its policy  regarding  this  redemption  fee or to
waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.

BY MAIL

    You may direct us in writing  to  exchange  your  shares  from one  American
Century account to another. For additional information,  please see our Investor
Services Guide.

BY TELEPHONE

    You can make  exchanges  over the  telephone  if you have  authorized  us to
accept  telephone  instructions.  You  can  authorize  this by  selecting  "Full
Services"  on your  application  or by calling us at  1-800-345-3533  to get the
appropriate form.

HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

    We will  redeem or "buy back" your shares at any time.  Redemptions  will be
made at the next net asset value determined after a complete  redemption request
is received. For large redemptions,  please read "Special Requirements for Large
Redemptions," page 22.

    Please note that a request to redeem shares in an IRA or 403(b) plan must be
accompanied  by an  executed  IRS  Form  W4-P  and a reason  for  withdrawal  as
specified by the IRS.

    IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE THE REDEMPTION OF SHARES OF  INTERNATIONAL  DISCOVERY
SHORTLY  AFTER THEIR  PURCHASE,  REDEMPTION  OF THOSE SHARES  WITHIN 180 DAYS OF
THEIR  PURCHASE WILL BE SUBJECT TO A REDEMPTION  FEE OF 2.0% OF THE VALUE OF THE
SHARES  REDEEMED.  This fee will be  retained by the fund to help  minimize  the
impact  such  redemptions  have on fund  performance  and,  hence,  on the other
shareholders of the fund. For the purposes of determining the  applicability  of
this fee, shares first purchased will be deemed to be the shares first redeemed.
The fund reserves its right to modify its policy  regarding this  redemption fee
or to waive such policy in whole or in part for certain classes of investors.

BY MAIL

    Your  written  instructions  to  redeem  shares  may  be  made  either  by a
redemption  form,  which we will  send you upon  request,  or by a letter to us.
Certain  redemptions  may require a signature  guarantee.  Please see "Signature
Guarantee," page 22.

BY TELEPHONE

    If you have authorized us to accept telephone  instructions,  you may redeem
your shares by calling an Institutional Service Representative.

BY CHECK-A-MONTH

   
    You may redeem shares by Check-A-Month.  A Check-A-Month  plan automatically
redeems  enough  shares  each month to provide you with a check in an amount you
choose  (minimum $50). To set up a Check-A-Month  plan,  please call and request
our Check-A-Month brochure.
    

OTHER AUTOMATIC REDEMPTIONS

    You may elect to make  redemptions  automatically  by authorizing us to send
funds to you or to your account at a bank or other financial institution. To set
up automatic redemptions, call an Institutional Service Representative.


PROSPECTUS          HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS       21


REDEMPTION PROCEEDS

    Please  note that  shortly  after a  purchase  of shares is made by check or
electronic  draft (also known as an ACH draft) from your bank, we may wait up to
15 days or longer to send  redemption  proceeds (to allow your purchase funds to
clear).  No interest is paid on the redemption  proceeds after the redemption is
processed but before your redemption proceeds are sent.

    Redemption proceeds may be sent to you in one of the following ways:

BY CHECK

    Ordinarily,  all  redemption  checks will be made payable to the  registered
owner of the shares and will be mailed only to the  address of record.  For more
information, please refer to our Investor Services Guide.

BY WIRE AND ACH

    You may authorize us to transmit  redemption  proceeds by wire or ACH. These
services will be effective 15 days after we receive the authorization.

    Your bank will usually receive wired funds within 48 hours of  transmission.
Funds  transferred  by ACH may be received up to seven days after  transmission.
Wired  funds  are  subject  to a $10 fee to cover  bank wire  charges,  which is
deducted from redemption proceeds.  Once the funds are transmitted,  the time of
receipt and the funds' availability are not under our control.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE REDEMPTIONS

    We have  elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the  Investment  Company
Act,  which  obligates  each  fund to make  certain  redemptions  in cash.  This
requirement  to  pay  redemptions  in  cash  applies  to  situations  where  one
shareholder  redeems,  during any 90-day period, up to the lesser of $250,000 or
1% of the assets of the fund. Although  redemptions in excess of this limitation
will  also  normally  be paid in  cash,  we  reserve  the  right  under  unusual
circumstances  to honor these  redemptions by making payment in whole or in part
in readily marketable securities (a "redemption-in-kind").

    If payment is made in securities, the securities, selected by the fund, will
be valued in the same manner as they are in computing the fund's net asset value
and will be provided without prior notice.

    If your redemption would exceed this limit and you would like to avoid being
paid in  securities,  please  provide us with an  unconditional  instruction  to
redeem at least 15 days prior to the date on which the redemption transaction is
to occur.  The instruction must specify the dollar amount or number of shares to
be redeemed and the date of the  transaction.  This  minimizes the effect of the
redemption on the fund and its remaining shareholders.

    Despite the fund's right to redeem fund shares through a redemption-in-kind,
we do not expect to exercise  this  option  unless a fund has an  unusually  low
level  of cash to meet  redemptions  and/or  is  experiencing  unusually  strong
demands for its cash.  Such a demand might be caused,  for  example,  by extreme
market conditions that result in an abnormally high level of redemption requests
concentrated in a short period of time.  Absent these or similar  circumstances,
we expect  redemptions in excess of $250,000 to be paid in cash in any fund with
assets of more than $50 million if total redemptions from any one account in any
90-day period do not exceed one-half of 1% of the total assets of the fund.

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

    To protect  your  accounts  from fraud,  some  transactions  will  require a
signature guarantee.  Which transactions will require a signature guarantee will
depend on which  service  options  you elect  when you open  your  account.  For
example,  if you choose "In  Writing  Only," a signature  guarantee  is required
when:

    *    redeeming more than $25,000; or

    *    establishing or increasing a Check-A-Month or automatic transfer on an
         existing account.

    You can obtain a signature  guarantee from a bank or trust  company,  credit
union,  broker-dealer,  securities  exchange or association,  clearing agency or
savings association, as defined by federal law.

    For a more in-depth explanation of our signature guarantee policy, or if you
live outside the United  States and would like to know how to obtain a signature
guarantee, please consult our Investor Services Guide.

    We reserve the right to require a signature guarantee on any transaction, or
to change this policy at any time.


22 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

    We offer  several  service  options to make your  account  easier to manage.
These are listed on the account  application.  Please make note of these options
and  elect  the ones  that are  appropriate  for you.  Be aware  that the  "Full
Services" option offers you the most flexibility. You will find more information
about each of these service options in our Investor Services Guide.

    Our special shareholder services include:

OPEN ORDER SERVICE

    Through our open order  service,  you may  designate a price at which to buy
shares of a variable-priced fund by exchange from one of our money market funds,
or a price at which to sell shares of a variable-priced  fund by exchange to one
of our money market funds.  The  designated  purchase  price must be equal to or
lower, or the designated sale price equal to or higher, than the variable-priced
fund's net asset value at the time the order is placed.  If the designated price
is  met  within  90  calendar   days,  we  will  execute  your  exchange   order
automatically at that price (or better). Open orders not executed within 90 days
will be canceled.

    If the fund you have selected  deducts a distribution  from its share price,
your order  price will be  adjusted  accordingly  so the  distribution  does not
inadvertently  trigger an open order transaction on your behalf. If you close or
re-register  the  account  from which the shares are to be  redeemed,  your open
order will be canceled.

    Because of their time-sensitive nature, open order transactions are accepted
only by  telephone  or in person.  These  transactions  are  subject to exchange
limitations  described  in  each  fund's  prospectus,  except  that  orders  and
cancellations  received  before 2 p.m.  Central time are effective the same day,
and orders or cancellations received after 2 p.m. Central time are effective the
next business day.

TAX-QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS

    Each fund is available for your tax-deferred  retirement plan. Call or write
us and request the appropriate forms for:

    *    Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs);

    *    403(b)plans for employees of public school systems and non-profit
         organizations; or

    *    Profit sharing plans and pension plans for corporations and other
         employers.

    If your IRA and  403(b)  accounts  do not total  $10,000,  each  account  is
subject to an annual $10 fee, up to a total of $30 per year.

    You can also transfer your  tax-deferred  plan to us from another company or
custodian. Call or write us for a Request to Transfer form.

IMPORTANT POLICIES REGARDING YOUR INVESTMENTS

    Every  account is subject to policies  that could  affect  your  investment.
Please refer to the Investor  Services Guide for further  information  about the
policies discussed below, as well as further detail about the services we offer

  (1)    We reserve the right for any reason to suspend  the  offering of shares
         for a  period  of  time,  or to  reject  any  specific  purchase  order
         (including  purchases  by  exchange).  Additionally,  purchases  may be
         refused  if, in the  opinion  of the  manager,  they are of a size that
         would disrupt the management of the fund.

  (2)    We  reserve  the  right  to  make  changes  to  any  stated  investment
         requirements,  including those that relate to purchases,  transfers and
         redemptions.  In addition,  we may also alter,  add to or terminate any
         investor   services  and   privileges.   Any  changes  may  affect  all
         shareholders or only certain series or classes of shareholders.

  (3)    Shares  being  acquired  must be  qualified  for sale in your  state of
         residence.

  (4)    Transactions  requesting  a  specific  price and date,  other than open
         orders, will be refused.  Once you have mailed or otherwise transmitted
         your  transaction  instructions  to us,  they  may not be  modified  or
         canceled.

  (5)    If a transaction request is made by a corporation,  partnership, trust,
         fiduciary,  agent  or  unincorporated   association,  we  will  require
         evidence  satisfactory to us of the authority of the individual  making
         the request.

  (6)    We have established  procedures  designed to assure the authenticity of
         instructions received by telephone. These procedures include

PROSPECTUS          HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS           23


   
         requesting personal  identification  from callers,  recording telephone
         calls, and providing written  confirmations of telephone  transactions.
         These procedures are designed to protect shareholders from unauthorized
         or fraudulent  instructions.  If we do not employ reasonable procedures
         to confirm the genuineness of  instructions,  then we may be liable for
         losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The company, its
         transfer agent and manager will not be responsible  for any loss due to
         instructions they reasonably believe are genuine.
    

  (7)    All   signatures   should  be  exactly  as  the  name  appears  in  the
         registration.  If the owner's name appears in the  registration as Mary
         Elizabeth Jones, she should sign that way and not as Mary E. Jones.

  (8)    Unusual  stock  market  conditions  have  in the  past  resulted  in an
         increase  in  the  number  of  shareholder   telephone  calls.  If  you
         experience  difficulty in reaching us during such periods, you may send
         your transaction instructions by mail, express mail or courier service,
         or you may  visit  one of our  Investor  Centers.  You may also use our
         Automated Information Line if you have requested and received an access
         code and are not attempting to redeem shares.

  (9)    If  you  fail  to  provide  us  with  the  correct  certified  taxpayer
         identification  number, we may reduce any redemption proceeds by $50 to
         cover the  penalty the IRS will impose on us for failure to report your
         correct taxpayer identification number on information reports.

  (10)   We will perform special inquiries on shareholder  accounts.  A research
         fee of $15 per hour may be applied.

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

    At the  end of  each  calendar  quarter,  we will  send  you a  consolidated
statement that summarizes all of your American Century  holdings,  as well as an
individual  statement  for  each  fund you own that  reflects  all  year-to-date
activity in your account.  You may request a statement of your account  activity
at any time.

    With the  exception of most  automatic  transactions,  each time you invest,
redeem,  transfer or exchange  shares,  we will send you a  confirmation  of the
transaction. See the Investor Services Guide for more detail.

    Carefully  review  all the  information  relating  to  transactions  on your
statements  and  confirmations  to ensure that your  instructions  were acted on
properly.  Please notify us immediately in writing if there is an error.  If you
fail to provide  notification  of an error  with  reasonable  promptness,  i.e.,
within 30 days of  non-automatic  transactions  or within 30 days of the date of
your consolidated quarterly statement, in the case of automatic transactions, we
will deem you to have ratified the transaction.

    No later than January 31 of each year, we will send you reports that you may
use in completing your U.S. income tax return.  See the Investor  Services Guide
for more information.

    Each year,  we will send you an annual and a semiannual  report  relating to
your fund, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.  The annual report
includes audited financial  statements and a list of portfolio  securities as of
the  fiscal  year  end.  The  semiannual  report  includes  unaudited  financial
statements  for the first six  months of the fiscal  year,  as well as a list of
portfolio  securities at the end of the period. You also will receive an updated
prospectus at least once each year.  Please read these materials  carefully,  as
they will help you understand your fund.

CUSTOMERS OF BANKS, BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

    Information   contained  in  our  Investor   Services   Guide   pertains  to
shareholders  who invest  directly with American  Century  rather than through a
bank, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.

    If you  own or are  considering  purchasing  fund  shares  through  a  bank,
broker-dealer,  or other  financial  intermediary,  your  ability  to  purchase,
exchange and redeem shares will depend on your agreement  with, and the policies
of, such financial intermediary.

    You may reach one of our Institutional  Service  Representatives  by calling
1-800-345-3533 to request information about our funds and services,  to obtain a
current  prospectus or to get answers to any questions  about our funds that you
are unable to obtain through your financial intermediary.


24 HOW TO INVEST WITH AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


                    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

SHARE PRICE

WHEN SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

   
    The price of your shares is also  referred to as their net asset value.  Net
asset value is determined  by  calculating  the total value of a fund's  assets,
deducting  total  liabilities  and  dividing  the result by the number of shares
outstanding.  For all American  Century  funds,  except funds issued by American
Century Target  Maturities  Trust, net asset value is determined as of the close
of regular trading on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open, usually
3 p.m.  Central  time.  The net asset  values  for Target  Maturities  funds are
determined one hour prior to the close of the Exchange.
    

    Investments and requests to redeem or exchange shares will receive the share
price next  determined  after  receipt by us of the  investment,  redemption  or
exchange  request.  For example,  investments and requests to redeem or exchange
shares  received by us or one of our agents or  designees  before the time as of
which the net asset value of the fund is determined,  are effective on, and will
receive the price  determined,  that day.  Investment,  redemption  and exchange
requests received  thereafter are effective on, and receive the price determined
as of, the close of the Exchange on the next day the Exchange is open.

    Investments  are  considered  received  only when payment is received by us.
Wired funds are  considered  received on the day they are  deposited in our bank
account if they are deposited before the time as of which the net asset value of
the fund is determined.

    Investments by telephone pursuant to your prior  authorization to us to draw
on your bank account are considered received at the time of your telephone call.

    Investment and transaction  instructions  received by us on any business day
by mail  prior  to the  time as of  which  the net  asset  value  of the fund is
determined, will receive that day's price. Investments and instructions received
after that time will receive the price determined on the next business day.

    If you invest in fund shares through an  employer-sponsored  retirement plan
or  other  financial  intermediary,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  your  plan
recordkeeper or financial  intermediary to transmit your purchase,  exchange and
redemption requests to the funds' transfer agent prior to the applicable cut-off
time for receiving  orders and to make payment for any purchase  transactions in
accordance with the funds'  procedures or any contractual  arrangements with the
funds or the funds' distributor in order for you to receive that day's price.

    We have contractual  relationships with certain financial  intermediaries in
which such intermediaries  represent that they have systems to track the time at
which  investment  orders are  received  and to  segregate  orders  received  at
different times. Based on these representations,  the funds have authorized such
intermediaries  and their designees to accept purchase and redemption  orders on
the funds' behalf up to the applicable cut-off time. The funds will be deemed to
have received such orders upon acceptance by the duly  authorized  intermediary,
and such  orders  will be priced at the funds' net asset  value next  determined
after acceptance on the funds' behalf by such intermediary.

HOW SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED

    The valuation of assets for determining net asset value may be summarized as
follows:

    The portfolio  securities of each fund, except as otherwise noted, listed or
traded on a domestic  securities  exchange  are valued at the last sale price on
that  exchange.  Portfolio  securities  primarily  traded on foreign  securities
exchanges  are  generally  valued  at  the  preceding  closing  values  of  such
securities on the exchange where primarily traded. If no sale is reported, or if
local convention or regulation so provides, the mean of the latest bid and asked
prices is used.  Depending on local convention or regulation,  securities traded
over-the-counter  are priced at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices,  or
at the last sale  price.  When  market  quotations  are not  readily  available,
securities and other assets are valued at fair value as determined in accordance
with procedures adopted by the Board of Directors.


PROSPECTUS                   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW       25


    Debt  securities  not traded on a principal  securities  exchange are valued
through  valuations  obtained from a commercial  pricing  service or at the most
recent  mean of the bid and asked  prices  provided  by  investment  dealers  in
accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors.

    The  value of an  exchange-traded  foreign  security  is  determined  in its
national currency as of the close of trading on the foreign exchange on which it
is traded or as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange, if that
is earlier.  That value is then exchanged to dollars at the  prevailing  foreign
exchange  rate.  Trading in  securities  on European and Far Eastern  securities
exchanges and  over-the-counter  markets is normally  completed at various times
before the close of  business  on each day that the New York Stock  Exchange  is
open.

    If an event were to occur after the value of a security was  established but
before  the net  asset  value  per  share  was  determined  that was  likely  to
materially  change the net asset value,  then that  security  would be valued at
fair value as determined in accordance with  procedures  adopted by the Board of
Directors.

    Trading of these  securities in foreign  markets may not take place on every
New York Stock  Exchange  business  day. In addition,  trading may take place in
various  foreign  markets on  Saturdays or on other days when the New York Stock
Exchange  is not open and on which a fund's net asset  value is not  calculated.
Therefore,  such  calculation  does not take  place  contemporaneously  with the
determination  of the prices of many of the  portfolio  securities  used in such
calculation  and the value of a fund's  portfolio  may be  affected on days when
shares of the fund may not be purchased or redeemed.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT SHARE PRICE

    The net asset  values of the  Investor  Class of  International  Growth  and
International Discovery are published in leading newspapers daily. The net asset
value of the Investor Class of Emerging  Markets will be published in newspapers
when the fund meets the minimum size  requirements  for  listing.  The net asset
value of the Institutional Class of each fund may be obtained by calling us.

DISTRIBUTIONS

    In  general,  distributions  from net  investment  income  and net  realized
securities  gains, if any, are declared and paid annually,  usually in December,
but the funds may make distributions on a more frequent basis to comply with the
distribution  requirements  of the  Internal  Revenue  Code,  in all events in a
manner consistent with the provisions of the Investment Company Act.

    THE OBJECTIVE OF THESE FUNDS IS CAPITAL  APPRECIATION AND NOT THE PRODUCTION
OF DISTRIBUTIONS. YOU SHOULD MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR INVESTMENT BY THE VALUE
OF YOUR INVESTMENT AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND NOT BY THE DISTRIBUTIONS YOU RECEIVE.

    For shareholders  investing through taxable accounts,  distributions will be
reinvested unless you elect to receive them in cash.  Distributions of less than
$10 generally will be reinvested. Distributions made shortly after a purchase by
check or ACH may be held up to 15 days. You may elect to have  distributions  on
shares  held in certain  IRAs and  403(b)  plans paid in cash only if you are at
least 591/2 years old or permanently and totally disabled.  Distribution  checks
normally are mailed within seven days after the record date.  Please consult our
Investor  Services Guide for further  information  regarding  your  distribution
options.

    A  distribution  on  shares of a fund  does not  increase  the value of your
shares or your total return. At any given time the value of your shares includes
the  undistributed  net  gains,  if any,  realized  by the  fund on the  sale of
portfolio securities,  and undistributed  dividends and interest received,  less
fund expenses.

    Because such gains and  dividends  are included in the price of your shares,
when they are  distributed  the price of your shares is reduced by the amount of
the  distribution.  If you buy your shares through a taxable account just before
the distribution,  you will pay the full price for your shares, and then receive
a portion of the  purchase  price back as a taxable  distribution.  See "Taxes,"
this page.

TAXES

    Each fund has elected to be taxed under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code,  which means that to the extent its income is distributed to shareholders,
it pays no income tax.


26     ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


TAX-DEFERRED ACCOUNTS

    If fund  shares  are  purchased  through  tax-deferred  accounts,  such as a
qualified    employer-sponsored    retirement   or   savings   plan   (excluding
participant-directed  employer-sponsored  retirement plans, which are ineligible
to invest in Institutional Class shares), income and capital gains distributions
paid by the fund will  generally  not be subject to current  taxation,  but will
accumulate in your account under the plan on a tax-deferred basis.

TAXABLE ACCOUNTS

   
    If fund shares are purchased through taxable accounts,  distributions of net
investment  income  and net  short-term  capital  gains  are  taxable  to you as
ordinary income. The dividends from net income may qualify for the 70% dividends
received  deduction  for  corporations  to the extent  that the fund held shares
receiving the dividend for more than 45 days. Distributions from gains on assets
held  longer  than 12 months but no more than 18 months  (28% rate gain)  and/or
assets held longer than 18 months (20% rate gain) are taxable as long-term gains
regardless of the length of time you have held the shares.  However,  you should
note that any loss  realized  upon the sale or redemption of shares held for six
months or less will be treated as a long-term  capital loss to the extent of any
distribution  of  long-term  capital  gain  (28% or 20%  rate  gain) to you with
respect to such shares.
    

    Dividends  and interest  received by a fund on foreign  securities  may give
rise  to  withholding  and  other  taxes  imposed  by  foreign  countries.   Tax
conventions  between  certain  countries  and the  United  States  may reduce or
eliminate such taxes. Foreign countries generally do not impose taxes on capital
gains in respect of investments  by  non-resident  investors.  The foreign taxes
paid by a fund will reduce its dividends.

   
    If more  than 50% of the  value of a fund's  total  assets at the end of its
fiscal year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the fund may qualify
for and make an election with the Internal  Revenue Service with respect to such
fiscal year so that fund  shareholders may be able to claim a foreign tax credit
in lieu of a deduction  for foreign  income  taxes paid by the fund.  If such an
election is made,  the foreign  taxes paid by the fund will be treated as income
received by you. In order for the shareholder to utilize the foreign tax credit,
the mutual fund shares must have been held for 16 days or more during the 30-day
period,  beginning  15 days prior to the  ex-dividend  date for the mutual  fund
shares.  The mutual fund must meet a similar  holding  period  requirement  with
respect to foreign  securities to which a dividend is attributable.  Any portion
of the  foreign  tax  credit  which is  ineligible  as a result  of the fund not
meeting the holding period  requirement will be separately  disclosed and may be
eligible as an itemized deduction.

    If a fund purchases the securities of certain  foreign  investment  funds or
trusts called passive foreign investment companies (PFIC),  capital gains on the
sale of such  holdings  will be deemed to be ordinary  income  regardless of how
long the fund holds its  investment.  The fund may also be subject to  corporate
income tax and an interest charge on certain  dividends and capital gains earned
from  these  investments,  regardless  of  whether  such  income  and  gains are
distributed to shareholders. In the alternative, the fund may elect to recognize
cumulative  gains on such  investments as of the last day of its fiscal year and
distribute  it to  shareholders.  Any  distribution  attributable  to a PFIC  is
characterized as ordinary income.

    Distributions  are taxable to you  regardless  of whether  they are taken in
cash or reinvested,  even if the value of your shares is below your cost. If you
purchase shares shortly before a distribution,  you must pay income taxes on the
distribution,  even though the value of your investment (plus cash received,  if
any) will not have  increased.  In  addition,  the  share  price at the time you
purchase  shares may  include  unrealized  gains in the  securities  held in the
investment portfolio of the fund. If these portfolio securities are subsequently
sold and the gains are realized,  they will, to the extent not offset by capital
losses, be paid to you as a distribution of capital gains and will be taxable to
you as short-term or long-term capital gains (28% and/or 20% rate gain).
    

    In January of the year  following the  distribution,  if you own shares in a
taxable account, you will receive a Form 1099-DIV notifying you of the status of
your distributions for federal income tax purposes.

    Distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes, even if all or a
substantial  part  of such  distributions  are  derived  from  interest  on U.S.
government obligations which, if you received them directly,


PROSPECTUS               ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW               27


would be exempt from state  income tax.  However,  most but not all states allow
this  tax  exemption  to pass  through  to fund  shareholders  when a fund  pays
distributions to its shareholders. You should consult your tax advisor about the
tax status of such distributions in your own state.

    If you have not complied  with certain  provisions  of the Internal  Revenue
Code and  Regulations,  we are  required by federal law to withhold and remit to
the IRS 31% of reportable  payments (which may include dividends,  capital gains
distributions  and redemptions).  Those regulations  require you to certify that
the Social Security number or tax  identification  number you provide is correct
and that you are not subject to 31% withholding for previous  under-reporting to
the  IRS.  You  will be asked  to make  the  appropriate  certification  on your
application.  Payments  reported by us that omit your Social  Security number or
tax  identification  number will  subject us to a penalty of $50,  which will be
charged  against  your account if you fail to provide the  certification  by the
time the report is filed. This charge is not refundable.

   
    Redemption of shares of a fund  (including  redemptions  made in an exchange
transaction)  will be a taxable  transaction for federal income tax purposes and
shareholders  will generally  recognize a gain or loss in an amount equal to the
difference  between  the basis of the shares and the amount  received.  Assuming
that  shareholders hold such shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss will be
a capital gain or loss and generally will be considered long-term subject to tax
at a maximum rate of 28% if  shareholders  have held such shares for a period of
more than 12 months but no more than 18 months and long-term subject to tax at a
maximum rate of 20% if  shareholders  have held such shares for a period of more
than 18 months.  If a loss is realized on the  redemption  of fund  shares,  the
reinvestment  in  additional  fund  shares  within  30 days  before or after the
redemption may be subject to the "wash sale" rules of the Internal Revenue Code,
resulting in a postponement  of the  recognition of such loss for federal income
tax purposes.

    In addition to the federal income tax consequences  described above relating
to an  investment  in a fund,  there  may be other  federal,  state or local tax
considerations  that depend upon the circumstances of each particular  investor.
Prospective  shareholders are therefore urged to consult their tax advisors with
respect to the effect of this investment on their own specific situations.
    

MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

    Under  the  laws of the  State  of  Maryland,  the  Board  of  Directors  is
responsible for managing the business and affairs of the funds.  Acting pursuant
to an  investment  management  agreement  entered into with the funds,  American
Century  Investment  Management,  Inc.  serves as the investment  manager of the
funds.  Its principal  place of business is American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street,  Kansas City, Missouri 64111. The manager has been providing  investment
advisory services to investment companies and institutional clients since it was
founded in 1958.

    The manager  supervises and manages the  investment  portfolio of a fund and
directs the purchase and sale of its investment  securities.  It utilizes a team
of portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers and analysts acting together
to manage the assets of a fund.  The team meets  regularly  to review  portfolio
holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity. The team adjusts holdings in
a fund's portfolio as they deem appropriate in pursuit of the fund's  investment
objectives.  Individual  portfolio  manager  members of the team may also adjust
portfolio holdings of a funds as necessary between team meetings.

    The portfolio  manager  members of the teams managing the funds described in
this  Prospectus  and  their  work  experience  for the last  five  years are as
follows:

   
    HENRIK STRABO, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century  in  1993 as an  Investment  Analyst  of the  International  Growth  and
International Discovery team and has been a Portfolio Manager member of the team
since 1994.  Prior to joining American  Century,  Mr. Strabo was Vice President,
International  Equity Sales with Barclays de Zoete Wedd from 1991 to 1993. He is
a member  of the  teams  that  manage  International  Growth  and  International
Discovery.
    

    MARK S. KOPINSKI,  Vice President and Portfolio  Manager,  rejoined American
Century in April 1997. From June 1995 to March 1997, Mr. Kopinski served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to June
1995, Mr. Kopinski was a


28 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW           AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


Vice President and Portfolio Manager for American Century. He is a member of the
teams that manage International Growth, International Discovery and the Emerging
Markets  Fund.  He was a member of the  International  Growth and  International
Discovery teams at their inception in 1991.

    MICHAEL J. DONNELLY,  Vice President and Portfolio Manager,  joined American
Century in August 1997. From July 1993 to July 1997, Mr. Donnelly served as Vice
President and  Portfolio  Manager for Federated  Investors,  Inc.  Prior to July
1993, Mr.  Donnelly  served as Assistant Vice President for Korea First Bank. He
is a member of the team that manages the Emerging Markets Fund.

    The  activities  of the manager are subject only to directions of the funds'
Board of  Directors.  The  manager  pays all the  expenses  of the funds  except
brokerage,  taxes,  interest,  fees and  expenses of the  non-interested  person
directors (including counsel fees) and extraordinary expenses.

    For the  services  provided  to the  Institutional  Class of the funds,  the
manager  receives an annual fee  calculated  as a percentage  of the average net
assets of each of the funds as follows:

Fund                                              Percent of Average Net Assets
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Growth                                 1.30% of first $1 billion
                                                  1.00% of the next $1 billion
                                                         0.90% over $2 billion

International Discovery                            1.55% of first $500 million
                                                1.20% of the next $500 million
                                                         1.00% over $1 billion

Emerging Markets Fund                              1.80% of first $500 million
                                                1.30% of the next $500 million
                                                         1.05% over $1 billion
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   
    On the first business day of each month,  each fund pays a management fee to
the  manager  for the  previous  month at the  specified  rate.  The fee for the
previous month is calculated by multiplying  the applicable fee for each fund by
the  aggregate  average daily closing value of each fund's net assets during the
previous  month,  and  further  multiplying  that  product  by a  fraction,  the
numerator  of  which  is the  number  of  days  in the  previous  month  and the
denominator of which is 365 (366 in leap years).
    

    The  management  fees paid by the funds to the  manager  are higher than the
fees paid by the various  other funds in the  American  Century  family of funds
because of the higher costs and additional expenses associated with managing and
operating a fund owning a portfolio  consisting primarily of foreign securities.
The fee may also be  higher  than the fee paid by many  other  international  or
foreign investment companies.

   
    Many other  investment  companies  may refer to or publicize an  "investment
management fee" or "management fee" paid by the company to its manager. However,
most such companies also use fund assets to pay for certain expenses of the fund
in addition to the stated  management fee. In contrast,  the management fee paid
to the  manager  includes  payment  for  almost  all  fund  expenses,  with  the
exceptions  noted.  Therefore,  potential  investors  who attempt to compare the
expenses  of these funds to the  expenses  of other  funds  should be careful to
compare only the ratio of total expenses to average net assets  contained in the
financial information found on pages 5-8 of this Prospectus to the same ratio of
the other funds.
    

    The  management  agreement also provides that the funds' Board of Directors,
upon 60 days' prior written  notice to all affected  shareholders,  may impose a
servicing or administrative fee as a charge against shareholder accounts.

CODE OF ETHICS

    The funds and the  manager  have  adopted  a Code of Ethics  that  restricts
personal  investing  practices by  employees of the manager and its  affiliates.
Among other  provisions,  the Code of Ethics requires that employees with access
to information about the purchase or sale of securities in the funds' portfolios
obtain  preclearance before executing personal trades. With respect to Portfolio
Managers  and  other  investment   personnel,   the  Code  of  Ethics  prohibits
acquisition  of securities  in an initial  public  offering,  as well as profits
derived from the purchase and sale of the same security within 60 calendar days.
These provisions are designed to ensure that the interests of fund  shareholders
come before the interests of the people who manage those funds.

TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

    American  Century  Services  Corporation,  4500 Main  Street,  Kansas  City,
Missouri 64111, acts as transfer agent and dividend-paying  agent for the funds.
It pro-


PROSPECTUS            ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW                  29


vides  facilities,  equipment and  personnel to the funds,  and is paid for such
services by the manager.

    Certain  recordkeeping and  administrative  services that would otherwise be
performed  by the transfer  agent may be  performed  by an insurance  company or
other  entity  providing  similar  services for various  retirement  plans using
shares  of the  funds as a  funding  medium,  by  broker-dealers  and  financial
advisors  for their  customers  investing  in shares of  American  Century or by
sponsors of multi mutual fund no- or low-transaction  fee programs.  The manager
or an affiliate may enter into contracts to pay them for such  recordkeeping and
administrative services out of its unified management fee.

    Although  there is no sales  charge  levied by the  funds,  transactions  in
shares of the funds may be executed by brokers or investment advisors who charge
a transaction-based  fee or other fee for their services.  Such charges may vary
among  broker-dealers and financial advisors,  but in all cases will be retained
by the  broker-dealer or financial  advisor and not remitted to the funds or the
manager.  You  should be aware of the fact that these  transactions  may be made
directly with American Century without incurring such fees.

    From time to time,  special  services  may be  offered to  shareholders  who
maintain  higher  share  balances  in our family of funds.  These  services  may
include the waiver of minimum investment requirements, expedited confirmation of
shareholder  transactions,  newsletters and a team of personal  representatives.
Any expenses associated with these special services will be paid by the manager.

    The manager and  transfer  agent are both wholly  owned by American  Century
Companies, Inc. James E. Stowers Jr., Chairman of the funds' Board of Directors,
controls  American Century Companies by virtue of his ownership of a majority of
its common stock.

   
    Pursuant  to  a  Sub-Administration   Agreement  with  the  manager,   Funds
Distributor,  Inc. (FDI) serves as the  Co-Administrator  for the funds.  FDI is
responsible for (i) providing  certain  officers of the funds and (ii) reviewing
and filing  marketing and sales  literature on behalf of the funds. The fees and
expenses of FDI are paid by the manager out of its unified fee.
    

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

   
    The funds' shares are distributed by FDI, a registered broker-dealer. FDI is
a wholly-owned  indirect  subsidiary of Boston  Institutional  Group, Inc. FDI's
principal business address is 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts
02109.

    Investors  may  open  accounts  with  American   Century  only  through  the
distributor.  All purchase  transactions in the funds offered by this Prospectus
are  processed  by the  transfer  agent,  which  is  authorized  to  accept  any
instructions relating to fund accounts.  All purchase orders must be accepted by
the  distributor.  All fees and expenses of FDI in acting as distributor for the
funds are paid by the manager.
    

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICAN CENTURY

    American  Century World Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,  the issuer of the funds,  was
organized as a Maryland corporation on December 28, 1990.

    The corporation is a diversified,  open-end  management  investment  company
whose  shares  were first  offered in May 1991.  Its  business  and  affairs are
managed by its officers under the direction of its Board of Directors.

    The  principal  office of the funds is  American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main
Street, P.O. Box 419385, Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6385.  All inquiries may be
made by mail to that address,  or by telephone to 1-800-345-3533  (international
calls: 816-531-5575).

    American  Century World Mutual Funds,  Inc. issues three series of $0.01 par
value  shares.  Each  series  is  commonly  referred  to as a fund.  The  assets
belonging to each series of shares are held separately by the custodian.

    American  Century offers four classes of the funds:  an Investor  Class,  an
Institutional  Class, a Service Class, and the Advisor Class. The shares offered
by this Prospectus are Institutional  Class shares and have no up-front charges,
commissions or 12b-1 fees.

    The Investor  Class is primarily  made  available to retail  investors.  The
Service Class and Advisor Class are primarily offered to institutional investors
or  through  institutional  distribution  channels,  such as  employer-sponsored
retirement plans or through banks, broker-dealers, insurance companies or other


30    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW        AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


financial intermediaries. The other classes have different fees, expenses and/or
minimum investment  requirements than the Institutional Class. The difference in
the  fee  structures   among  the  classes  is  the  result  of  their  separate
arrangements for shareholder and distribution services and not the result of any
difference  in  amounts  charged by the  manager  for core  investment  advisory
services.  Accordingly,  the core  investment  advisory  expenses do not vary by
class.  Different  fees and expenses  will affect  performance.  For  additional
information  concerning the Investor  class of shares,  call one of our Investor
Services  Representatives  at  1-800-345-2021.  For  information  concerning the
Service or Advisor  Classes of  shares,  call one of our  Institutional  Service
Representatives at 1-800-345-3533 or contact a sales representative or financial
intermediary who offers those classes of shares.

    Except as described  below,  all classes of shares of a fund have  identical
voting,  dividend,   liquidation  and  other  rights,  preferences,   terms  and
conditions.  The only  differences  among the various classes are (a) each class
may be subject to different  expenses specific to that class, (b) each class has
a different identifying designation or name, (c) each class has exclusive voting
rights with respect to matters solely  affecting such class,  (d) each class may
have different exchange privileges,  and (e) the Institutional Class may provide
for automatic  conversion  from that class into shares of the Investor  Class of
the same fund.

    Each  share,  irrespective  of series or class,  is entitled to one vote for
each dollar of net asset value applicable to such share on all questions, except
for those  matters  that must be voted on  separately  by the series or class of
shares affected.  Matters affecting only one series or class are voted upon only
by that series or class.

    Shares have  non-cumulative  voting rights,  which means that the holders of
more than 50% of the votes cast in an election of directors can elect all of the
directors  if  they  choose  to do so,  and in such  event  the  holders  of the
remaining  votes will not be able to elect any person or persons to the Board of
Directors.

    Unless required by the Investment  Company Act, it will not be necessary for
the funds to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result, shareholders may
not vote each year on the election of directors or the  appointment of auditors.
However,  pursuant to the funds' by-laws,  the holders of shares representing at
least  10% of the  votes  entitled  to be cast may  request  the funds to hold a
special meeting of shareholders.  We will assist in the communication with other
shareholders.

    WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ANY OF OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
WITHOUT  SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL  EXCEPT  IN  THOSE  INSTANCES  WHERE  SHAREHOLDER
APPROVAL IS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED.

PROSPECTUS                   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW      31

                                     NOTES

32      NOTES                                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

                                     NOTES

                                                                  NOTES       33

P.O. BOX 419385
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
64141-6385

INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES:
1-800-345-3533 OR 816-531-5575

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE FOR THE DEAF:
1-800-345-1833 OR 816-444-3038

FAX: 816-340-4655

WWW.AMERICANCENTURY.COM

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

9803           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-11755      Recycled
<PAGE>
                      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                                   TWENTIETH

                                    CENTURY

                                     GROUP

                             International Growth

                            International Discovery

                               Emerging Markets


                      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

   
                                 APRIL 1, 1998
    

                   AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.

   
This Statement is not a prospectus  but should be read in  conjunction  with the
current  Prospectus of American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc., dated April 1,
1998.  Please  retain  this  document  for  future  reference.   To  obtain  the
Prospectus,  call American  Century toll free at  1-800-345-2021  (international
calls:  816-531-5575),  or write  to P.O.  Box  419200,  Kansas  City,  Missouri
64141-6200, or access our Web site (www.americancentury.com).
    

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
Investment Objectives of the Funds .........................................   2
Additional Investment Restrictions .........................................   2
Forward Currency Exchange Contracts ........................................   3
An Explanation of Fixed Income Securities Ratings ..........................   4
Short Sales ................................................................   6
Portfolio Lending ..........................................................   6
Portfolio Turnover .........................................................   6
Officers and Directors .....................................................   7
Management .................................................................   8
Custodians .................................................................  10
Independent Auditors .......................................................  10
Capital Stock ..............................................................  10
Multiple Class Structure ...................................................  10
Brokerage ..................................................................  13
Performance Advertising ....................................................  13
Redemptions in Kind ........................................................  15
Holidays ...................................................................  15
Financial Statements .......................................................  15
    


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                   1


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE FUNDS

    The  investment  objective of each fund  comprising  American  Century World
Mutual  Funds,  Inc. is  described  on page 2 of the  Prospectus.  In seeking to
achieve its objective,  a fund must conform to certain  policies,  some of which
are designated in the Prospectus or in this Statement of Additional  Information
as  "fundamental"  and  cannot be  changed  without  shareholder  approval.  The
following  paragraph is also a statement of  fundamental  policy with respect to
selection of investments.

   
    In general,  within the restrictions  outlined herein,  American Century has
broad  powers  with  respect  to  investing  funds or holding  them  uninvested.
Investments are varied according to what is judged  advantageous  under changing
economic  conditions.  It  is  our  policy  to  retain  maximum  flexibility  in
management without restrictive provisions as to the proportion of one or another
class of securities  that may be held,  subject to the  investment  restrictions
described  below.  It is the manager's  intention  that each fund will generally
consist  of  common  stocks.  However,   subject  to  the  specific  limitations
applicable to a fund,  the manager may invest the assets of each fund in varying
amounts  in  other  instruments  and  in  senior  securities,   such  as  bonds,
debentures,  preferred  stocks  and  convertible  issues,  when such a course is
deemed appropriate in order to attempt to attain its financial objective.
    

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

    Additional  fundamental  policies that may be changed only with  shareholder
approval provide as follows:

  (1)    The funds shall not issue senior securities,  except as permitted under
         the Investment Company Act of 1940.

  (2)    The funds  shall not  borrow  money,  except  that the funds may borrow
         money for  temporary  or  emergency  purposes  (not for  leveraging  or
         investment) in an amount not exceeding  331/3% of a fund's total assets
         (including   the  amount   borrowed)  less   liabilities   (other  than
         borrowings).

  (3)    The funds  shall not lend any  security or make any other loan if, as a
         result,  more than  331/3% of a fund's  total  assets  would be lent to
         other parties,  except,  (i) through the purchase of debt securities in
         accordance with its investment objective,  policies and limitations, or
         (ii) by engaging in  repurchase  agreements  with  respect to portfolio
         securities.

  (4)    The funds shall not  concentrate  their  investments  in  securities of
         issuers in a  particular  industry  (other  than  securities  issued or
         guaranteed   by  the  U.S.   government  or  any  of  its  agencies  or
         instrumentalities).

  (5)    The funds shall not purchase or sell real estate  unless  acquired as a
         result of ownership of  securities  or other  instruments.  This policy
         shall  not  prevent  a fund  from  investment  in  securities  or other
         instruments  backed by real estate or securities of companies that deal
         in real estate or are engaged in the real estate business.

  (6)    The  funds  shall not act as an  underwriter  of  securities  issued by
         others,  except  to  the  extent  that  a fund  may  be  considered  an
         underwriter  within the  meaning of the  Securities  Act of 1933 in the
         disposition of restricted securities.

  (7)    The funds  shall  not  purchase  or sell  physical  commodities  unless
         acquired as a result of ownership of securities  or other  instruments;
         provided  that this  limitation  shall  not  prohibit  the  funds  from
         purchasing or selling  options and futures  contracts or from investing
         in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities.

  (8)    The funds shall not invest for  purposes  of  exercising  control  over
         management.

    In addition, the funds have adopted the following non-fundamental investment
restrictions:

  (1)    As an operating policy, a fund shall not purchase additional investment
         securities at any time during which outstanding borrowings exceed 5% of
         the total assets of the fund.

  (2)    As an operating  policy,  a fund may not purchase any security or enter
         into a repurchase  agreement if, as a result,  more than 15% of its net
         assets would be invested in  repurchase  agreements  not  entitling the
         holder to payment of principal  and  interest  within seven days and in
         securities that are illiquid by virtue of legal or

2                                                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS

         contractual  restrictions  on  resale  or  the  absence  of  a  readily
         available market.

  (3)    As an operating policy, a fund shall not sell securities short,  unless
         it owns or has the right to obtain  securities  equivalent  in kind and
         amount to the securities sold short,  and provided that  transaction in
         futures  contracts  and  options are not deemed to  constitute  selling
         securities short.

  (4)    As an operating policy, a fund shall not purchase securities on margin,
         except  that  the  fund  may  obtain  such  short-term  credits  as are
         necessary for the clearance of  transactions,  and provided that margin
         payments in  connection  with futures  contracts and options on futures
         contracts shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin.

   
    The Investment  Company Act imposes  certain  additional  restrictions  upon
acquisition  by  the  funds  of  securities   issued  by  insurance   companies,
broker-dealers,  underwriters or investment advisors, and upon transactions with
affiliated persons as therein defined.  It also defines and forbids the creation
of cross and circular ownership.  Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission
nor any other  agency of the  federal  or state  government  participates  in or
supervises  the  management  of the  funds  or  their  investment  practices  or
policies.

    The Investment  Company Act also provides that the funds may not invest more
than 25% of their  assets  in the  securities  of  issuers  engaged  in a single
industry.  In determining industry groups for purposes of this restriction,  the
SEC ordinarily uses the Standard Industry  Classification codes developed by the
United  States  Office of  Management  and Budget.  In the  interest of ensuring
adequate diversification,  the funds monitor industry concentration using a more
restrictive  list of industry groups than that recommended by the SEC. The funds
believe that these  classifications are reasonable and are not so broad that the
primary  economic  characteristics  of  the  companies  in a  single  class  are
materially different. The use of these more restrictive industry classifications
may,  however,  cause  the  funds to forego  investment  possibilities  that may
otherwise be available to them under the Investment Company Act.
    

FORWARD CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS

    The funds conduct their foreign currency exchange  transactions  either on a
spot (i.e.,  cash)  basis at the spot rate  prevailing  in the foreign  currency
exchange  market,  or through  entering into forward foreign  currency  exchange
contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.

    Each fund expects to use forward contracts under two circumstances:

  (1)    When the  manager  wishes  to  "lock  in" the  U.S.  dollar  price of a
         security when the fund is purchasing or selling a security  denominated
         in a foreign  currency,  the fund would be able to enter into a forward
         contract to do so; or

  (2)    When the manager  believes  that the currency of a  particular  foreign
         country may suffer a substantial  decline against the U.S. dollar,  the
         fund would be able to enter  into a forward  contract  to sell  foreign
         currency for a fixed U.S. dollar amount approximating the value of some
         or all of the fund's  portfolio  securities  either  denominated in, or
         whose value is tied to, such foreign currency.

    As to the  first  circumstance,  when a fund  enters  into a  trade  for the
purchase  or sale of a security  denominated  in a foreign  currency,  it may be
desirable to establish (lock in) the U.S.  dollar cost or proceeds.  By entering
into  forward  contracts  in U.S.  dollars for the purchase or sale of a foreign
currency involved in an underlying security  transaction,  the fund will be able
to protect  itself  against a possible loss between trade and  settlement  dates
resulting from the adverse change in the  relationship  between the U.S.  dollar
and the subject foreign currency.

    Under the second  circumstance,  when the manager believes that the currency
of a particular  country may suffer a substantial  decline  relative to the U.S.
dollar,  a fund could enter into a forward  contract to sell for a fixed  dollar
amount the amount in foreign  currencies  approximating the value of some or all
of its portfolio  securities  either  denominated in, or whose value is tied to,
such foreign currency.  The fund will place cash or high-grade liquid securities
in a separate  account with its  custodian in an amount  sufficient to cover its
obligation  under the  contract.  If the value of the  securities  placed in the
separate account declines,


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                           3


additional  cash or securities will be placed in the account on a daily basis so
that the value of the account equals the amount of the fund's  commitments  with
respect to such contracts.

   
    The  precise  matching  of forward  contracts  in the  amounts and values of
securities  involved  generally would not be possible since the future values of
such foreign  currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the
values of those securities between the date the forward contract is entered into
and the date it matures.  Predicting  short-term  currency  market  movements is
extremely difficult, and the successful execution of short-term hedging strategy
is highly  uncertain.  Normally,  consideration  of the  prospect  for  currency
parities will be incorporated into the long-term  investment decisions made with
respect to overall  diversification  strategies.  However,  the manager believes
that it is important to have  flexibility  to enter into such forward  contracts
when it determines that a fund's best interests may be served.
    

    Generally,  a fund will not enter  into a  forward  contract  with a term of
greater  than one year.  At the maturity of the forward  contract,  the fund may
either sell the portfolio security and make delivery of the foreign currency, or
it may retain the security and terminate  the  obligation to deliver the foreign
currency by purchasing an "offsetting"  forward  contract with the same currency
trader  obligating  the fund to purchase,  on the same maturity  date,  the same
amount of the foreign currency.

    It is impossible  to forecast  with  absolute  precision the market value of
portfolio securities at the expiration of the forward contract.  Accordingly, it
may be necessary for a fund to purchase  additional foreign currency on the spot
market  (and bear the  expense  of such  purchase)  if the  market  value of the
security is less than the amount of foreign  currency  the fund is  obligated to
deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make  delivery of the
foreign currency the fund is obligated to deliver.

AN EXPLANATION OF FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RATINGS

    As  described  in the  Prospectus,  the  funds may  invest  in fixed  income
securities.   International   Growth   may  invest   only  in   investment-grade
obligations,  while  International  Discovery and the Emerging  Markets Fund may
invest in bonds, corporate debt securities and governmental  obligations without
regard to credit quality  restrictions if such obligations are determined by the
manager to be sound investments.

    Fixed  income  securities   ratings  provide  the  manager  with  a  current
assessment  of the credit  rating of an issuer with respect to a specific  fixed
income  security.  The  following  is a  description  of the  rating  categories
utilized by the rating services referenced in the Prospectus disclosure.

    The following  summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poor's  Corporation
for bonds:

    AAA -- This is the highest rating  assigned by S&P to a debt  obligation and
    indicates an extremely strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal.

    AA -- Debt rated AA is  considered  to have a very  strong  capacity  to pay
    interest  and repay  principal  and differs  from AAA issues only to a small
    degree.

    A -- Debt rated A has a strong  capacity to pay interest and repay principal
    although it is somewhat more  susceptible to the adverse  effects of changes
    in  circumstances   and  economic   conditions  than  debt  in  higher-rated
    categories.

    BBB -- Debt rated BBB is  regarded  as having an  adequate  capacity  to pay
    interest  and  repay  principal.   Whereas  it  normally  exhibits  adequate
    protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances
    are more  likely to lead to a weakened  capacity to pay  interest  and repay
    principal for debt in this category than in higher-rated categories.

    BB -- Debt rated BB has less near-term  vulnerability  to default than other
    speculative  issues.  However,  it  faces  major  ongoing  uncertainties  or
    exposure to adverse  business,  financial or economic  conditions that could
    lead to inadequate  capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.
    The BB rating  category  also is used for debt  subordinated  to senior debt
    that is assigned an actual or implied BBB- rating.

    B -- Debt rated B has a greater  vulnerability  to default but currently has
    the capacity to meet  interest  payments and principal  repayments.  Adverse
    business,  financial or economic  conditions  will likely impair capacity or
    willingness to pay interest


4                                                   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


    and  repay  principal.   The  B  rating  category  is  also  used  for  debt
    subordinated  to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BB or BB-
    rating.

    CCC -- Debt rated CCC has a currently identifiable  vulnerability to default
    and is dependent upon favorable business,  financial and economic conditions
    to meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal.  In the event
    of adverse business,  financial or economic conditions,  it is not likely to
    have the  capacity  to pay  interest  and repay  principal.  The CCC  rating
    category is also used for debt  subordinated to senior debt that is assigned
    an actual or implied B or B- rating.

    CC -- The rating CC typically is applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
    that is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.

    C -- The rating C typically is applied to debt  subordinated to senior debt,
    which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may be
    used to cover a situation  where a bankruptcy  petition has been filed,  but
    debt service payments are continued.

    CI -- The rating CI is  reserved  for income  bonds on which no  interest is
    being paid.

    D -- Debt rated D is in payment default.  The D rating category is used when
    interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even if
    the applicable  grace period has not expired,  unless S&P believes that such
    payments  will be made during such grace  period.  The D rating also will be
    used upon the filing of a bankruptcy  petition if debt service  payments are
    jeopardized.

    To provide more detailed  indications of credit quality, the ratings from AA
to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show  relative
standing within these major rating categories.

    The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
for bonds:

    AAA -- Bonds that are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best  quality.  They
    carry the smallest degree of investment  risk and are generally  referred to
    as  "gilt  edge."  Interest  payments  are  protected  by a  large  or by an
    exceptionally  stable  margin,  and  principal is secure.  While the various
    protective  elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized
    are most  unlikely  to impair  the  fundamentally  strong  position  of such
    issues.

    AA --  Bonds  that are  rated Aa are  judged  to be of high  quality  by all
    standards.  Together with the Aaa group,  they  comprise what  generally are
    known as high-grade  bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because
    margins  of  protection  may  not  be as  large  as in  Aaa  securities,  or
    fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude, or there may
    be other  elements  present  that make the  long-term  risk appear  somewhat
    larger than the Aaa securities.

    A -- Bonds that are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and
    are to be  considered  as  upper-medium-grade  obligations.  Factors  giving
    security to principal and interest are considered  adequate but elements may
    be present  that suggest a  susceptibility  to  impairment  some time in the
    future.

    BAA -- Bonds that are rated Baa are considered as  medium-grade  obligations
    (i.e.,  they are neither  highly  protected  nor poorly  secured).  Interest
    payments and principal  security appear adequate for the present but certain
    protective elements may be lacking or may be  characteristically  unreliable
    over any great  length  of time.  Such  bonds  lack  outstanding  investment
    characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics, as well.

   
    BA -- Bonds that are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their
    future  cannot  be  considered  as  well-assured.  Often the  protection  of
    interest and principal  payments may be very moderate,  and thereby not well
    safeguarded,  during both good and bad times in the future.  Uncertainty  of
    position characterizes bonds in this class.
    

    B -- Bonds that are rated B generally lack  characteristics of the desirable
    investment.  Assurance of interest and principal  payments or of maintenance
    of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

    CAA -- Bonds that are rated Caa are of poor standing.  Such issues may be in
    default,  or there  may be  present  elements  of  danger  with  respect  to
    principal or interest.

    CA -- Bonds that are rated Ca represent  obligations that are speculative in
    a high  degree.  Such  issues  are often in  default  or have  other  marked
    shortcomings.


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                       5


    C -- Bonds that are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds,  and issues
    so  rated  can be  regarded  as  having  extremely  poor  prospects  of ever
    attaining any real investment standing.

    Moody's  applies  numerical  modifiers  1, 2 and 3 in  each  generic  rating
category  from Aa through B. The modifier 1 indicates  that the bond being rated
ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates
a mid-range ranking;  and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of
that generic rating category.

SHORT SALES

    A fund may engage in short sales if, at the time of the short sale, the fund
owns or has the right to  acquire  an equal  amount of the  security  being sold
short.

    In a short sale, the seller does not immediately deliver the securities sold
and is said to have a short position in those  securities until delivery occurs.
To make delivery to the purchaser,  the executing  broker borrows the securities
being  sold  short  on  behalf  of the  seller.  While  the  short  position  is
maintained,  the seller  collateralizes its obligation to deliver the securities
sold  short in an  amount  equal  to the  proceeds  of the  short  sale  plus an
additional  margin amount  established  by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve.  If a fund  engages in a short sale,  the  collateral  account  will be
maintained by the fund's custodian.  While the short sale is open, the fund will
maintain in a segregated  custodial account an amount of securities  convertible
into or exchangeable for such equivalent securities at no additional cost. These
securities would constitute the fund's long position.

    A fund may make a short sale, as described above,  when it wants to sell the
security  it owns at a  current  attractive  price,  but  also  wishes  to defer
recognition  of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes and for purposes of
satisfying certain tests applicable to regulated  investment companies under the
Internal  Revenue  Code.  In such a case,  any future  losses in the fund's long
position should be reduced by a gain in the short position.  The extent to which
such gains or losses are reduced  would  depend upon the amount of the  security
sold  short  relative  to the  amount  the  fund  owns.  There  will be  certain
additional  transaction  costs  associated  with short sales,  but the fund will
endeavor  to offset  these costs with  income  from the  investment  of the cash
proceeds of short sales.

   
PORTFOLIO LENDING

    In order  to  realize  additional  income,  a fund  may  lend its  portfolio
securities.  Such loans may not exceed one-third of the fund's net assets valued
at market except (i) through the purchase of debt  securities in accordance with
its  investment  objective,  policies  and  limitations,  or (ii) by engaging in
repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities.
    

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

    In order to achieve its investment objective,  the manager will purchase and
sell securities without regard to the length of time the security has been held.
Accordingly, a fund's rate of portfolio turnover may be substantial.

    The funds intend to purchase a given security  whenever the manager believes
it will  contribute  to the stated  objective  of a fund.  In order to achieve a
fund's investment  objective,  the manager will sell a given security, no matter
for how long or for how short a period it has been held in the portfolio, and no
matter whether the sale is at a gain or at a loss, if the manager  believes that
it is not fulfilling its purpose, either because, among other things, it did not
live up to the  manager's  expectations,  or  because  it may be  replaced  with
another security holding greater promise,  or because it has reached its optimum
potential,  or because of a change in the circumstances of a particular  company
or industry or in general economic conditions, or because of some combination of
such reasons.

    When a  general  decline  in  security  prices  is  anticipated,  a fund may
decrease  or  eliminate  entirely  its equity  position  and  increase  its cash
position,  and when a rise in price levels is  anticipated,  a fund may increase
its equity  position  and  decrease  its cash  position.  However,  it should be
expected that each fund will,  under most  circumstances,  be essentially  fully
invested in equity securities.

    Since investment decisions are based on the anticipated  contribution of the
security in question to a fund's  objectives,  the rate of portfolio turnover is
irrelevant  when the  manager  believes  a change is in order to  achieve  those
objectives,  and a fund's annual  portfolio  turnover rate cannot be anticipated
and may be


6                                                   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


comparatively high. This disclosure  regarding portfolio turnover is a statement
of fundamental policy and may be changed only by a vote of the shareholders.

    Since the manager  does not take  portfolio  turnover  rate into  account in
making investment  decisions,  (1) the manager has no intention of accomplishing
any  particular  rate of  portfolio  turnover,  whether high or low, and (2) the
portfolio  turnover  rates should not be considered as a  representation  of the
rates that will be attained in the future.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

   
    The principal officers and directors of the corporation,  their ages (listed
in parentheses),  principal business  experience during the past five years, and
their  affiliations  with  the  funds'  investment  manager,   American  Century
Investment  Management,  Inc. and its transfer agent,  American Century Services
Corporation,  are listed  below.  The address at which each director and officer
below may be contacted is American Century Tower, 4500 Main Street, Kansas City,
Missouri 64111.  All persons named as officers of the Corporation  also serve in
similar capacities for other funds advised by the manager.  Those directors that
are  "interested  persons" as defined in the Investment  Company Act of 1940 are
indicated by an asterisk(*).

    JAMES E. STOWERS JR.* (74), Chairman of the Board and Director;  Chairman of
the Board,  Director and controlling  shareholder of American Century Companies,
Inc., parent  corporation of American Century  Investment  Management,  Inc. and
American  Century  Services  Corporation;  Chairman of the Board and Director of
American  Century  Investment  Management,  Inc. and American  Century  Services
Corporation; father of James E. Stowers III.

    JAMES E. STOWERS III* (39), Director;  Chief Executive Officer and Director,
American Century Companies,  Inc., American Century Investment Management,  Inc.
and American Century Services Corporation.

    THOMAS A. BROWN  (58),  Director;  Director  of Plains  States  Development,
Applied  Industrial  Technologies,  Inc., a  corporation  engaged in the sale of
bearings and power transmission products.

    ROBERT W. DOERING, M.D. (64), Director; retired, formerly general surgeon.

    ANDREA C. HALL,  PH.D. (53),  Director;  Senior Vice President and Associate
Director, Midwest Research Institute.

    D. D. (DEL) HOCK (63), Director;  retired, formerly Chairman, Public Service
Company of Colorado; Director,  ServiceTech, Inc., Hathaway Corporation and J.D.
Edwards & Company.

    DONALD H. PRATT (60), Vice Chairman of the Board and Director; President and
Director, Butler Manufacturing Company.

    LLOYD T. SILVER JR. (70),  Director;  President,  LSC, Inc.,  manufacturer's
representative.

    M. JEANNINE STRANDJORD (52), Director;  Senior Vice President and Treasurer,
Sprint Corporation; Director, DST Systems, Inc..

    RICHARD W. INGRAM (42), President;  Executive Vice President and Director of
Client Services and Treasury  Administration of Funds  Distributor,  Inc. (FDI).
Mr. Ingram  joined FDI in 1995.  Prior to joining FDI, Mr. Ingram served as Vice
President and Division  Manager for First Data  Investor  Services  Group,  Inc.
(from March 1994 to November 1995) and before that as Vice President,  Assistant
Treasurer and Tax Director-Mutual  Funds of The Boston Company,  Inc. (from 1989
to 1994).

    MARYANNE  ROEPKE,   CPA  (42),  Vice  President,   Treasurer  and  Principal
Accounting Officer; Vice President, American Century Services Corporation.

    PATRICK A. LOOBY (39), Vice  President;  Vice  President,  American  Century
Services Corporation.

    CHRISTOPHER  J. KELLEY (33),  Vice  President;  Vice President and Associate
General  Counsel of FDI.  Prior to joining FDI, Mr.  Kelley  served as Assistant
Counsel at Forum  Financial Group (from April 1994 to July 1996) and before that
as a compliance officer for Putnam Investments (from 1992 to 1994).

    MARY A. NELSON (33), Vice President;  Vice President and Manager of Treasury
Services and  Administration  of FDI. Prior to joining FDI, Ms. Nelson served as
Assistant Vice President and Client Manager for The Boston  Company,  Inc. (from
1989 to 1994).

    ROBERT J. LEACH, CPA (31), Controller.
    

    The  Board of  Directors  has  established  four  standing  committees:  the
Executive  Committee,  the Audit  Committee,  the  Compliance  Committee and the
Nominating Committee.


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                      7


   
    Messrs.  Stowers  Jr.  (chairman),  Stowers  III and  Pratt  constitute  the
Executive  Committee  of the Board of  Directors.  The  committee  performs  the
functions of the Board of Directors  between  meetings of the Board,  subject to
the limitations on its power set out in the Maryland Corporation Law, and except
for matters required by the Investment Company Act to be acted upon by the whole
Board.

    Ms.  Strandjord  (chairman),  Dr. Doering and Mr. Hock  constitute the Audit
Committee.  The  functions  of the  Audit  Committee  include  recommending  the
engagement of the funds'  independent  auditors,  reviewing the arrangements for
and  scope of the  annual  audit,  reviewing  comments  made by the  independent
auditors with respect to internal controls and the  considerations  given or the
corrective action taken by management,  and reviewing nonaudit services provided
by the independent auditors.

    Messrs.  Brown  (chairman),  Pratt,  Silver  and  Dr.  Hall  constitute  the
Compliance  Committee.   The  functions  of  the  Compliance  Committee  include
reviewing  the  results  of the funds'  compliance  testing  program,  reviewing
quarterly  reports from the manager to the Board  regarding  various  compliance
matters  and  monitoring  the  implementation  of the  funds'  Code  of  Ethics,
including any violations thereof.

    The  Nominating  Committee has as its principal role the  consideration  and
recommendation  of  individuals  for  nomination  as  directors.  The  names  of
potential  director  candidates  are drawn from a number of  sources,  including
recommendations  from members of the Board,  management and  shareholders.  This
committee  also reviews and makes  recommendations  to the Board with respect to
the composition of Board committees and other Board-related  matters,  including
its   organization,   size,   composition,   responsibilities,   functions   and
compensation.  The  members  of  the  nominating  committee  are  Messrs.  Pratt
(chairman), Hock and Stowers III.
    

    The  Directors of the  corporation  also serve as Directors  for other funds
advised by the  manager.  Each  Director  who is not an  "interested  person" as
defined in the  Investment  Company Act  receives for service as a member of the
Board of all six of such companies an annual  director's fee of $44,000,  and an
additional fee of $1,000 per regular Board meeting attended and $500 per special
Board meeting and committee meeting attended.  In addition,  those directors who
are not  "interested  persons" and serve as chairman of a committee of the Board
of Directors  receive an  additional  $2,000 for such  services.  These fees and
expenses  are  divided  among the six  investment  companies  based  upon  their
relative  net  assets.  Under the  terms of the  management  agreement  with the
manager, the funds are responsible for paying such fees and expenses.

   
    Set forth below is the aggregate compensation paid for the periods indicated
by the  Corporation  and by the American  Century  family of funds as a whole to
each  Director who is not an  "interested  person" as defined in the  Investment
Company Act.


                                 Aggregate            Total Compensation from
                             Compensation from         the American Century
Director                     the Corporation(1)         Family of Funds(2)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas A. Brown                    $2,569                    $60,000
Robert W. Doering, M.D.             2,492                     49,500
Andrea C. Hall(3)                     190                      8,833
D. D. (Del) Hock                    2,491                     49,500
Linsley L. Lundgaard(3)             2,396                     42,333
Donald H. Pratt                     2,569                     60,000
Lloyd T. Silver Jr.                 2,465                     49,000
M. Jeannine Strandjord              2,500                     48,833
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1)  Includes  compensation  paid by the  corporation  for the fiscal year ended
     November 30, 1997.

(2)  Includes  compensation  paid by the 13  investment  company  members of the
     American  Century  family of funds for the calendar year ended December 31,
     1997.

(3)  Andrea Hall replaced Linsley Lundgaard as an independent director effective
     November 1, 1997.
    


    Those Directors who are  "interested  persons," as defined in the Investment
Company Act,  receive no fee as such for serving as a Director.  The salaries of
such individuals, who are also officers of the funds, are paid by the manager.

MANAGEMENT

   
    A description  of the  responsibilities  and method of  compensation  of the
funds' manager,  American Century  Investment  Management,  Inc., appears in the
Prospectus under the heading, "Management."

    During the three most recent fiscal years,  the total management fees earned
by to the manager, net of fees voluntarily waived, were as follows:
    


8                                                   AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
                                                                Years Ended
FUND                                                            November 30,
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                             1997               1996                1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  Management fees       $   22,689,978    $    21,271,619     $    21,967,586

  Average net assets     1,638,863,569      1,289,561,744       1,240,949,990

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY

  Management fees            9,602,636          4,421,277           2,260,979

  Average net assets       564,142,831        235,583,979         113,067,308

EMERGING MARKETS

  Management fees               33,065                 -                   -
  Average net assets         9,721,852                 -                   -
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Included in the table above are the following  management fees earned by the
manager on the Advisor and Institutional Class shares:


                                                             Years Ended
FUND                                                         November 30,
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                        1997                   1996
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

  Advisor                           $     73,143             $  6,276

  Institutional                            5,752                  -
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    


    The management  agreement  shall continue in effect until the earlier of the
expiration  of two  years  from the date of its  execution  or until  the  first
meeting of  shareholders  following such execution and for as long thereafter as
its  continuance  is  specifically  approved at least annually by (i) the funds'
Board of Directors,  or by the vote of a majority of the  outstanding  votes (as
defined in the  Investment  Company Act),  and (ii) by the vote of a majority of
the  Directors of the funds who are not parties to the  agreement or  interested
persons of the  manager,  cast in person at a meeting  called for the purpose of
voting on such approval.

    The  management  agreement  provides  that it may be  terminated at any time
without payment of any penalty by the funds' Board of Directors, or by a vote of
a  majority  of the  funds'  shareholders,  on 60 days'  written  notice  to the
manager, and that it shall be automatically terminated if it is assigned.

    The  management  agreement  provides that the manager shall not be liable to
the funds or its shareholders for anything other than willful  misfeasance,  bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations or duties.

    The  management  agreement  also provides that the manager and its officers,
directors and employees may engage in other business,  devote time and attention
to any other  business  whether of a similar or  dissimilar  nature,  and render
services to others.

   
    Certain  investments  may be  appropriate  for the  funds and also for other
clients  advised by the manager.  Investment  decisions  for the funds and other
clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives
after  consideration of such factors as their current holdings,  availability of
cash for investment  and the size of their  investment  generally.  A particular
security  may be bought or sold for only one  client  or fund,  or in  different
amounts  and at  different  times for more than one but less than all clients or
funds. In addition,  purchases or sales of the same security may be made for two
or more clients or funds on the same date. Such  transactions  will be allocated
among  clients or funds in a manner  believed by the manager to be  equitable to
each. In some cases this procedure  could have an adverse effect on the price or
amount of the securities purchased or sold by a fund.
    

    The  manager  may  aggregate  purchase  and sale  orders of the  funds  with
purchase  and sale orders of its other  clients when the manager  believes  that
such aggregation  provides the best execution for the funds. The funds' Board of
Directors has approved the policy of the manager with respect to the aggregation
of portfolio  transactions.  Where portfolio  transactions have been aggregated,
the funds  participate at the average share price for all  transactions  in that
security on a given day and share  transaction  costs on a pro rata  basis.  The
manager  will not  aggregate  portfolio  transactions  of the  funds  unless  it
believes such  aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution on
behalf  of the  funds and the terms of the  management  agreement.  The  manager
receives  no  additional  compensation  or  remuneration  as a  result  of  such
aggregation.

   
    In addition to managing the funds,  on February  27,  1998,  the manager was
acting as an investment  advisor to 10 institutional  accounts with an aggregate
value  of  $384,566,799.  While  each of these  clients  has  unique  investment
restrictions and guidelines,  some have elected to have their portfolios managed
in a manner similar to the portfolio of an existing fund. Accordingly,  any time
a security is being  bought or sold for the fund,  it may also be bought or sold
for any
    


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                   9


   
institutional  accounts  being  managed  in a  similar  manner  with  a  similar
investment objective. The manager anticipates acquiring additional such accounts
in the future.
    

    American  Century  Services   Corporation   provides  physical   facilities,
including  computer  hardware  and software and  personnel,  for the  day-to-day
administration  of the funds  and of the  manager.  The  manager  pays  American
Century Services Corporation for such services.

    As stated in the Prospectus,  all of the stock of American  Century Services
Corporation  and  American  Century  Investment  Management,  Inc.  is  owned by
American Century Companies, Inc.

CUSTODIANS

    UMB Bank,  N.A., 10th and Grand,  Kansas City,  Missouri 64105, and Commerce
Bank, N.A., 1000 Walnut,  Kansas City,  Missouri 64105, each serves as custodian
of the assets of the  funds.  The  custodians  take no part in  determining  the
investment  policies of the funds or in deciding which  securities are purchased
or sold by the funds. The funds,  however,  may invest in certain obligations of
the  custodians  and may  purchase  or sell  certain  securities  from or to the
custodians.

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

   
    Deloitte & Touche LLP, 1010 Grand Avenue,  Kansas City,  Missouri 64106, was
appointed  to  serve  as the  independent  auditors  to  examine  the  financial
statements of the funds commencing with the fiscal year ended November 30, 1997.
As the independent  auditors of the funds,  Deloitte & Touche provides  services
including  (1) audit of the annual  financial  statements,  (2)  assistance  and
consultation in connection with SEC filings and (3) review of the annual federal
income tax return filed for each fund.
    

CAPITAL STOCK

    The funds' capital stock is described in the  Prospectus  under the heading,
"Further Information About American Century."

   
    The  corporation  currently  has three  series of shares  outstanding.  Each
series of shares is further  divided  into four  classes.  See  "Multiple  Class
Structure,"  this page. The funds may in the future issue  additional  series or
classes of shares without a vote of the  shareholders.  The assets  belonging to
each  series or class of shares are held  separately  by the  custodian  and the
shares of each series or class represent a beneficial interest in the principal,
earnings  and profits (or losses) of  investment  and other assets held for that
series or class.  Your  rights as a  shareholder  are the same for all series or
classes of securities unless otherwise stated. Within their respective series or
class,  all shares have equal redemption  rights.  Each share,  when issued,  is
fully paid and non-assessable.  Each share,  irrespective of series or class, is
entitled  to one vote for each  dollar of net asset  value  represented  by such
share on all questions.
    

    In  the  event  of  complete   liquidation  or  dissolution  of  the  funds,
shareholders of each series or class of shares shall be entitled to receive, pro
rata, all of the assets less the liabilities of that series or class.

   
    As of February 27, 1998,  in excess of 5% of the  outstanding  shares of the
following funds were owned of record by:


NAME OF                  SHAREHOLDER

FUND                     AND PERCENTAGE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International
Growth                   Charles Schwab & Co.
                         San Francisco, California - 10.1%

International
Discovery                Charles Schwab & Co.
                         San Francisco, California - 5.0%

Emerging
Markets                  American Century Companies, Inc.
                         Kansas City, Missouri - 21.0%

                         United Missouri Bank as Trustee for American
                         Century Services Corporation Stock Option
                         Surrender Plan
                         Kansas City, Missouri -- 7.1%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

MULTIPLE CLASS STRUCTURE

    The  funds'  Board of  Directors  has  adopted a  multiple  class  plan (the
"Multiclass  Plan") pursuant to Rule 18f-3 adopted by the SEC.  Pursuant to such
plan, the funds may issue up to four classes of shares:  an Investor  Class,  an
Institutional Class, a Service Class and an Advisor Class.

   
    The Investor Class is made available to investors directly without any load
or commission, for a single
    


10                                                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
unified management fee. The Institutional,  Service and Advisor Classes are made
available to institutional shareholders or through financial intermediaries that
do not require the same level of shareholder  and  administrative  services from
the manager as Investor Class shareholders.  As a result, the manager is able to
charge these classes a lower  management fee. In addition to the management fee,
however,  Service  Class  shares are  subject  to a  Shareholder  Services  Plan
(described  on this page),  and the Advisor Class shares are subject to a Master
Distribution  and  Shareholder  Services Plan (described on page 12). Both plans
have been adopted by the funds' Board of Directors  and initial  shareholder  in
accordance with Rule 12b-1 adopted by the SEC under the Investment Company Act.
    

RULE 12B-1

    Rule 12b-1 permits an investment company to pay expenses associated with the
distribution  of its shares in accordance  with a plan adopted by the investment
company's Board of Directors and approved by its shareholders.  Pursuant to such
rule,  the Board of Directors  and initial  shareholders  of the funds'  Service
Class and Advisor Class have  approved and entered into a  Shareholder  Services
Plan,  with  respect  to  the  Service  Class,  and a  Master  Distribution  and
Shareholder Services Plan, with respect to the Advisor Class (collectively,  the
"Plans"). Both Plans are described below.

    In  adopting  the Plans,  the Board of  Directors  (including  a majority of
directors  who are not  "interested  persons"  of the funds [as  defined  in the
Investment Company Act],  hereafter referred to as the "independent  directors")
determined  that there was a reasonable  likelihood that the Plans would benefit
the funds and the shareholders of the affected classes.  Pursuant to Rule 12b-1,
information  with respect to revenues and expenses  under the Plans is presented
to the Board of Directors quarterly for its consideration in connection with its
deliberations as to the continuance of the Plans.  Continuance of the Plans must
be approved by the Board of Directors  (including a majority of the  independent
directors)  annually.  The  Plans  may be  amended  by a vote  of the  Board  of
Directors (including a majority of the independent  directors),  except that the
Plans may not be  amended  to  materially  increase  the  amount to be spent for
distribution  without  majority  approval of the  shareholders  of the  affected
class.  The Plans terminate  automatically in the event of an assignment and may
be terminated upon a vote of a majority of the independent  directors or by vote
of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class.

    All fees paid under the Plans will be made in accordance  with Section 26 of
the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers.

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN

   
    As described in the  Prospectus,  the funds' Service Class of shares is made
available to participants in employer-sponsored  retirement or savings plans and
to  persons  purchasing  through  financial   intermediaries,   such  as  banks,
broker-dealers  and  insurance   companies.   In  such  circumstances,   certain
recordkeeping  and  administrative  services  that are  provided  by the  funds'
transfer  agent for the Investor Class  shareholders  may be performed by a plan
sponsor  (or its agents) or by a  financial  intermediary.  To enable the funds'
shares to be made available through such plans and financial intermediaries, and
to  compensate  them for such  services,  the funds'  manager  has  reduced  its
management  fee by 0.25% per annum with respect to the Service  Class shares and
the funds' Board of Directors has adopted a Shareholder  Services Plan. Pursuant
to the  Shareholder  Services  Plan,  the Service Class shares pay a shareholder
services fee of 0.25% annually of the aggregate  average daily net assets of the
funds' Service Class shares.

    The  manager  and the funds'  distributor,  Funds  Distributor,  Inc.,  (the
"Distributor")  enter into contracts with each  financial  intermediary  for the
provision of certain shareholder  services and utilizes the shareholder services
fees received  under the  Shareholder  Services  Plan to pay for such  services.
Payments may be made for a variety of shareholder services,  including,  but are
not limited to, (1) receiving, aggregating and processing purchase, exchange and
redemption  requests  from  beneficial  owners  (including  contract  owners  of
insurance  products  that utilize the funds as underlying  investment  media) of
shares  and  placing   purchase,   exchange  and  redemption   orders  with  the
Distributor;  (2) providing  shareholders with a service that invests the assets
of their accounts in shares pursuant to specific or pre-autho-
    


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                           11


rized  instructions;  (3) processing  dividend payments from a fund on behalf of
shareholders and assisting  shareholders in changing dividend  options,  account
designations and addresses; (4) providing and maintaining elective services such
as wire transfer  services;  (5) acting as shareholder of record and nominee for
beneficial owners; (6) maintaining account records for shareholders and/or other
beneficial  owners;  (7) issuing  confirmations of  transactions;  (8) providing
subaccounting  with respect to shares  beneficially  owned by customers of third
parties  or  providing  the   information  to  a  fund  as  necessary  for  such
subaccounting;  (9) preparing and forwarding shareholder communications from the
funds (such as proxies,  shareholder  reports,  annual and semiannual  financial
statements and dividend,  distribution  and tax notices) to shareholders  and/or
other  beneficial  owners;  (10)  providing  other  similar  administrative  and
sub-transfer  agency services;  and (11) paying "service fees" for the provision
of personal,  continuing services to investors,  as contemplated by the Rules of
Fair Practice of the NASD (collectively referred to as "Shareholder  Services").
Shareholder  Services do not include  those  activities  and  expenses  that are
primarily intended to result in the sale of additional shares of the funds.

MASTER DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN

    As described in the  Prospectus,  the funds' Advisor Class of shares is also
made available to participants in employer-sponsored retirement or savings plans
and to  persons  purchasing  through  financial  intermediaries,  such as banks,
broker-dealers  and insurance  companies.  The Distributor enters into contracts
with various  banks,  broker-dealers,  insurance  companies and other  financial
intermediaries  with respect to the sale of the funds'  shares and/or the use of
the funds' shares in various  investment  products or in connection with various
financial services.

    As with the Service Class, certain recordkeeping and administrative services
that  are  provided  by  the  funds'  transfer  agent  for  the  Investor  Class
shareholders  may be  performed  by a  plan  sponsor  (or  its  agents)  or by a
financial  intermediary  for  shareholders  in the Advisor Class. In addition to
such  services,  the  financial   intermediaries  provide  various  distribution
services.

   
    To enable  the funds'  shares to be made  available  through  such plans and
financial  intermediaries,  and to compensate them for such services, the funds'
manager has reduced its  management  fee by 0.25% per annum with  respect to the
Advisor  Class  shares and the funds'  Board of  Directors  has adopted a Master
Distribution and Shareholder Services Plan (the "Distribution  Plan").  Pursuant
to such  Plan,  the  Advisor  Class  shares pay a fee of 0.50%  annually  of the
aggregate average daily net assets of the funds' Advisor Class shares,  0.25% of
which is paid for Shareholder  Services (as described  above) and 0.25% of which
is paid for distribution services.
    

    Distribution  services  include any activity  undertaken or expense incurred
that is primarily intended to result in the sale of Advisor Class shares,  which
services  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to,  (1) the  payment  of  sales
commissions,  ongoing  commissions  and  other  payments  to  brokers,  dealers,
financial  institutions  or others who sell  Advisor  Class  shares  pursuant to
Selling  Agreements;  (2)  compensation to registered  representatives  or other
employees of  Distributor  who engage in or support  distribution  of the funds'
Advisor Class shares; (3) compensation to, and expenses  (including overhead and
telephone  expenses)  of,   Distributor;   (4)  the  printing  of  prospectuses,
statements  of  additional  information  and  reports  for other  than  existing
shareholders; (5) the preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature
and advertising  materials  provided to the funds'  shareholders and prospective
shareholders;  (6)  receiving  and  answering  correspondence  from  prospective
shareholders,  including  distributing  prospectuses,  statements  of additional
information and shareholder  reports;  (7) the providing of facilities to answer
questions  from  prospective  investors  about fund shares;  (8) complying  with
federal and state  securities  laws  pertaining to the sale of fund shares;  (9)
assisting  investors in completing  application forms and selecting dividend and
other  account  options;  (10) the providing of other  reasonable  assistance in
connection  with  the  distribution  of fund  shares;  (11) the  organizing  and
conducting  of  sales  seminars  and  payments  in  the  form  of  transactional
compensation or promotional incentives;  (12) profit on the foregoing;  (13) the
payment of "service fees" for the provision of personal,  continuing services to
investors, as contemplated by


12                                                 AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


the Rules of Fair  Practice of the NASD;  and (14) such other  distribution  and
services  activities  as the  manager  determines  may be paid for by the  funds
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and in accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the
Investment Company Act.
       

BROKERAGE

    Under the  management  agreement  between  the funds  and the  manager,  the
manager  has the  responsibility  of  selecting  brokers  to  execute  portfolio
transactions.  The  funds'  policy is to secure  the most  favorable  prices and
execution  of orders on its  portfolio  transactions.  So long as that policy is
met, the manager may take into  consideration  the factors  discussed under this
caption when selecting brokers.

    The manager receives  statistical and other information and services without
cost from  brokers and  dealers.  The manager  evaluates  such  information  and
services,  together with all other  information that it may have, in supervising
and managing the investments of the funds. Because such information and services
may vary in amount,  quality  and  reliability,  their  influence  in  selecting
brokers varies from none to very  substantial.  The manager proposes to continue
to place some of the funds'  brokerage  business  with one or more  brokers  who
provide information and services.  Such information and services provided to the
manager  will be in  addition  to and not in lieu  of  services  required  to be
performed  for the funds by the manager.  The manager  does not utilize  brokers
that  provide  such  information  and  services  for the purpose of reducing the
expense of providing required services to the funds.

    In the fiscal years ended  November 30, 1997,  1996 and 1995,  the brokerage
commissions for each fund were as follows:



                                           Years Ended November 30,
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FUND                           1997              1996                1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH        $10,870,947       $9,717,846          $12,351,904

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY      5,153,755         2,886,323            1,434,299

EMERGING MARKETS                57,986             -                   -
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The brokerage  commissions  paid by the funds may exceed those which another
broker might have charged for  effecting the same  transactions,  because of the
value of the brokerage and research  services  provided by the broker.  Research
services  furnished  by  brokers  through  whom  the  funds  effects  securities
transactions  may be used by the manager in servicing all of its  accounts,  and
not all such  services may be used by the manager in managing the  portfolios of
the funds.

    The  staff of the SEC has  expressed  the  view  that  the  best  price  and
execution  of  over-the-counter  transactions  in  portfolio  securities  may be
secured by dealing directly with principal  market makers,  thereby avoiding the
payment of compensation to another broker. In certain  situations,  the officers
of the funds and the manager believe that the facilities,  expert  personnel and
technological systems of a broker enable the funds to secure as good a net price
by dealing with a broker instead of a principal market maker, even after payment
of  the   compensation   to  the  broker.   The  funds   normally   place  their
over-the-counter transactions with principal market makers, but also may deal on
a brokerage basis when utilizing electronic trading networks or as circumstances
warrant.

PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

FUND PERFORMANCE

    Individual fund performance may be compared to various indices including the
Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Dow Jones World Index, the IFC Global Composite
Index and the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe,  Australia,  Far East
EAFE(reg.tm) Index (EAFE Index).

   
    Average  annual total return is calculated by determining  cumulative  total
return for the stated period and then computing the annual  compound return that
would produce the  cumulative  total return if the funds'  performance  had been
constant  over that period.  Cumulative  total  return  includes all elements of
return,  including  reinvestment  of dividends and capital gains  distributions.
Annualization  of the funds'  return  assumes that the partial year  performance
will be constant throughout the period. Actual returns through the period may be
greater or less than the annualized data.

    The  following  tables set forth the  average  annual  total  return for the
various classes of the funds for the periods indicated.


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                     13


                                                   From         Inception
FUND                     1 year     5 year       Inception         Date
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
Investor Class           18.12%     15.42%        13.75%          5/9/91
Advisor Class            17.97%        -          19.04%         10/2/96
Institutional Class         -          -          (0.43)%        11/20/97

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY
Investor Class           17.76%        -          17.46%          4/1/94

EMERGING MARKETS
Investor Class              -          -         (17.00)%         9/30/97
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The funds may also  advertise  average  annual  total return over periods of
time other than one, five and 10 years and cumulative  total return over various
time periods.

    The following table shows the cumulative  total return of the Investor Class
of shares of the funds since their respective dates of inception.

                                                           Cumulative Total
FUND                                                    Return Since Inception
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH                                            132.66%

INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY                                         79.98%

EMERGING MARKETS                                               (17.00)%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In  addition  to the  standardized  one-,  five-,  and  10-year  (inception)
periods, the funds may also advertise performance  information for other periods
(such as quarterly or  three-year).  The funds will use the same  methodology in
calculating  performance  information  for  such  other  periods  as it  uses in
computing  performance  information for the  standardized  periods.  Performance
information  for  Advisor  Class  shares  will  be  calculated  using  the  same
methodology   described   under  the   heading   "Multiple   Class   Performance
Advertising," this page.
    

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE COMPARISONS

    Investors  may  judge  the  performance  of the  funds  by  comparing  their
performance to the  performance of other mutual funds or mutual fund  portfolios
with comparable  investment  objectives and policies through various mutual fund
or market indices such as the EAFE(reg.tm) Index and those prepared by Dow Jones
& Co., Inc., Standard & Poor's Corporation,  Shearson Lehman Brothers,  Inc. and
The Russell  2000 Index,  and to data  prepared by Lipper  Analytical  Services,
Inc.,  Morningstar,  Inc. and the Consumer Price Index.  Comparisons also may be
made to indices or data published in Money,  Forbes,  Barron's,  The Wall Street
Journal, The New York Times, Business Week, Pensions and Investments,  USA Today
and  other  similar  publications  or  services.   In  addition  to  performance
information,  general  information about the funds that appears in a publication
such  as  those  mentioned  above  or  in  the  Prospectus   under  the  heading
"Performance  Advertising" may be included in  advertisements  and in reports to
shareholders.

PERMISSIBLE ADVERTISING INFORMATION

    From time to time,  the funds  may,  in  addition  to any other  permissible
information,  include the  following  types of  information  in  advertisements,
supplemental  sales literature and reports to  shareholders:  (1) discussions of
general economic or financial principles (such as the effects of compounding and
the benefits of dollar-cost  averaging);  (2)  discussions  of general  economic
trends;  (3)  presentations of statistical data to supplement such  discussions;
(4)  descriptions of past or anticipated  portfolio  holdings for one or more of
the funds;  (5)  descriptions  of investment  strategies  for one or more of the
funds;  (6)  descriptions  or  comparisons  of various  savings  and  investment
products  (including,  but  not  limited  to,  qualified  retirement  plans  and
individual  stocks and  bonds),  which may or may not  include  the  funds;  (7)
comparisons of investment products (including the funds) with relevant market or
industry  indices  or other  appropriate  benchmarks;  (8)  discussions  of fund
rankings or ratings by recognized  rating  organizations;  and (9)  testimonials
describing  the  experience  of persons who have  invested in one or more of the
funds. The funds also may include calculations, such as hypothetical compounding
examples, which describe hypothetical investment results in such communications.
Such performance examples will be based on an express set of assumptions and are
not indicative of the performance of any of the funds.

MULTIPLE CLASS PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING

   
    Pursuant to the Multiple Class Plan, the funds may issue additional  classes
of existing  funds or introduce  new funds with multiple  classes  available for
purchase.  To the extent a new class is added to an existing  fund,  the manager
may, in compliance with SEC and NASD rules, regulations and guidelines, market
    


14                                                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS


   
the new class of shares  using the  historical  performance  information  of the
original class of shares. When quoting performance information for the new class
of shares for  periods  prior to the first full  quarter  after  inception,  the
original class'  performance will be restated to reflect the expenses of the new
class and for  periods  after the first full  quarter  after  inception,  actual
performance of the new class will be used.
    

REDEMPTIONS IN KIND

    The funds'  policy  with regard to large  redemptions  is  described  in the
Prospectus under the heading "Special Requirements for Large Redemptions."

   
    The  corporation  has  elected  to be  governed  by  Rule  18f-1  under  the
Investment  Company  Act,  pursuant to which the funds are  obligated  to redeem
shares  solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value
of a fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder.  Should  redemptions
by any  shareholder  exceed such  limitation,  the funds will have the option of
redeeming  the excess in cash or in kind.  If shares are  redeemed in kind,  the
redeeming  shareholder  might incur  brokerage costs in converting the assets to
cash.  The securities  delivered will be selected at the sole  discretion of the
manager.  Such securities will not necessarily be  representative  of the entire
portfolio and may be securities that the manager regards as least desirable. The
method of valuing portfolio  securities used to make redemptions in kind will be
the  same  as the  method  of  valuing  portfolio  securities  described  in the
prospectus under the heading "How Share Price is Determined," and such valuation
will be made as of the same time the redemption price is determined.
    

HOLIDAYS

    The funds do not  determine the net asset value of their shares on days when
the New York Stock  Exchange  is closed.  Currently,  the  Exchange is closed on
Saturdays  and Sundays,  and on holidays,  namely New Year's Day,  Martin Luther
King Jr. Day,  Presidents'  Day, Good Friday,  Memorial Day,  Independence  Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

   
    The financial  statements of the funds,  including the  Statements of Assets
and  Liabilities  and the  Statements  of  Operations  for the fiscal year ended
November 30, 1997,  and the  Statements  of Changes in Net Assets for the fiscal
years ended  November 30, 1997,  and 1996,  are included in the Annual Report to
shareholders,  which is incorporated herein by reference. You may receive copies
of the Annual  Report  without  charge upon  request to American  Century at the
address  and  phone  number  shown  on page 1 of this  Statement  of  Additional
Information.
    


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION                                          15


P.O. Box 419200
Kansas City, Missouri
64141-6200

Investor Services:
1-800-345-2021 or 816-531-5575

Automated Information Line:
1-800-345-8765

   
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:
1-800-634-4113 or 816-444-3485
    

Fax: 816-340-7962

www.americancentury.com

                        [american century logo(reg.sm)]
                                    American
                                Century(reg.tm)

9803           [recycled logo]
SH-BKT-11757      Recycled
<PAGE>
PART C         OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 24.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

          (a)  Financial Statements:

               (i)  Financial   Statements  filed  in  Part  A  of  Registration
                    Statement:

                    1.   Financial Highlights

               (ii) Financial  Statements  filed  in Part B of the  Registration
                    Statement  (each of the  following  financial  statements is
                    contained in the  Registrant's  Annual Report dated November
                    30, 1997,  which is  incorporated  by reference in Part B of
                    this Registration Statement):

                    1.   Statement  of Assets and  Liabilities  at November  30,
                         1997.

                    2.   Statement of Operations for the year ended November 30,
                         1997.

                    3.   Statement  of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended
                         November 30, 1997 and 1996.

                    4.   Notes to Financial Statements as of November 30, 1997.

                    5.   Schedule of Investments as of November 30, 1997.

                    6.   Independent Auditors' Report dated January 13, 1998.

          (b)  Exhibits (all exhibits not filed herewith are being  incorporated
               herein by reference).

               1.   (a) Articles of  Incorporation  of Twentieth  Century  World
                    Investors,  Inc.  (filed  electronically  as an  Exhibit  to
                    Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement
                    on   March   29,   1996,   File  No.   33-39242).

                    (b)  Articles  of  Amendment  of  Twentieth   Century  World
                    Investors,  Inc.,  dated August 10, 1993 (filed  herewith as
                    EX-99.B1b).

                    (c)  Articles   Supplementary  of  Twentieth  Century  World
                    Investors,    Inc.,    dated   November   8,   1993   (filed
                    electronically as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.
                    6 to the Registration  Statement on March 29, 1996, File No.
                    33-39242).

                    (d)  Articles   Supplementary  of  Twentieth  Century  World
                    Investors,  Inc., dated April 24, 1995 (filed electronically
                    as an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  6 to the
                    Registration   Statement  on  March  29,   1996,   File  No.
                    33-39242).

                    (e)  Articles   Supplementary  of  Twentieth  Century  World
                    Investors,  Inc., dated March 11, 1996 filed  electronically
                    as an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  7 to the
                    Registration Statement on June 13, 1996, File No. 33-39242).

                    (f)  Articles   Supplementary  of  Twentieth  Century  World
                    Investors,  Inc., dated September 9, 1996 (filed herewith as
                    EX-99.B1f).

                    (g)  Articles  of  Amendment  of  Twentieth   Century  World
                    Investors, Inc. dated December 2, 1996 (filed electronically
                    as an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  8 to the
                    Registration   Statement  on  March  31,   1997,   File  No.
                    33-39242).

                    (h) Articles  Supplementary of American Century World Mutual
                    Funds, Inc. dated December 2, 1996 (filed  electronically as
                    an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective   Amendment  No.  8  to  the
                    Registration   Statement  on  March  31,   1997,   File  No.
                    33-39242).

               2.   (a)  By-Laws of  Twentieth  Century  World  Investors,  Inc.
                    (filed   electronically  as  an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective
                    Amendment No. 6 to the  Registration  Statement on March 29,
                    1996, File No. 33-39242.

                    (b)  Amendment to By-Laws of American  Century  World Mutual
                    Funds,   Inc.  (filed   electronically   as  an  Exhibit  to
                    Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  9 on Form  N-1A of  American
                    Century Capital Portfolios, Inc., File No. 33-64872).

               3.   Voting Trust Agreements - None.

               4.   Specimen copy of stock certificate (filed  electronically as
                    an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective   Amendment  No.  8  to  the
                    Registration Statment on March 31, 1997, File No. 33-39242).

               5.   Management  Agreement  between American Century World Mutual
                    Funds, Inc. and American Century Investment Management, Inc.
                    dated August 1, 1997 (filed herein as EX-99.B5).

               6.   Distribution Agreement between American Century World Mutual
                    Funds,  Inc. and Funds  Distributor,  Inc. dated January 15,
                    1998 (filed  electronically  as an Exhibit to Post-Effective
                    Amendment  No. 28 on Form N-1A of  American  Century  Target
                    Maturities Trust, File No. 2-94608).

               7.   Bonus and Profit Sharing Plan, Etc. - None.

               8.   (a) Custody Agreement by and between Twentieth Century World
                    Investors,  Inc. and UMB Bank, N.A. (filed electronically as
                    an  Exhibit  to  Post-Effective   Amendment  No.  6  to  the
                    Registration   Statement  on  March  29,   1996,   File  No.
                    33-39242).

                    (b)  Amendment  No. 1 to Custody  Agreement  by and  between
                    Twentieth Century World Investors,  Inc. and UMB Bank, N.A.,
                    dated January 25, 1996 (filed  electronically  as an Exhibit
                    to  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  6  to  the  Registration
                    Statement on March 29, 1996, File No. 33-39242).

                    (c)  Master  Agreement  by  and  between  Twentieth  Century
                    Services,  Inc. and Commerce  Bank,  N. A. dated January 22,
                    1997  (filed  electronically  as a  part  of  Post-Effective
                    Amendment No. 76 to the Registration  Statement on Form N-1A
                    of American Century Mutual Funds, Inc., File No. 2-14213).

               9.   Transfer Agency  Agreement dated as of March 1, 1991, by and
                    between   Twentieth   Century  World  Investors,   Inc.  and
                    Twentieth Century Services, Inc. (filed electronically as an
                    Exhibit   to   Post-Effective   Amendment   No.   6  to  the
                    Registration   Statement  on  March  29,   1996,   File  No.
                    33-39242).

               10.  Opinion   and   consent  of  Counsel   (filed   herewith  as
                    EX-99.B10).

               11.  (a)  Consent of  Deloitte & Touche  LLP (filed  herewith  as
                    EX-99.B11a).

                    (b)  Consent  of  Ernst  &  Young  LLP  (filed  herewith  as
                    EX-99.B11b).

               12.  Annual  Report of the  Registrant  dated  November  30, 1997
                    (filed   electronically   on  January  23,  1998,  File  No.
                    33-39242).

               13.  Agreements for Initial Capital, Etc. - None.

               14.  Model   Retirement   Plans  (filed  as  Exhibits   14a-d  to
                    Pre-Effective  Amendment  No.  4,  File  No.  33-39242,  and
                    incorporated herein by reference).

               15.  (a) Master  Distribution  and  Shareholder  Services Plan of
                    Twentieth  Century  Capital  Portfolios,   Inc.,   Twentieth
                    Century Investors,  Inc.,  Twentieth Century Strategic Asset
                    Allocations,  Inc. and Twentieth  Century  World  Investors,
                    Inc.   (Advisor   Class)  dated  September  3,  1996  (filed
                    electronically as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.
                    9 on Form N-1A of American Century Capital Portfilios, Inc.,
                    File No. 33-64872).

                    (b) Amendment No. 1 to Master  Distribution  and Shareholder
                    Services Plan of American Century Capital Portfolios,  Inc.,
                    American  Century  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,   American  Century
                    Strategic Asset Allocations, Inc. and American Century World
                    Mutual  Funds,  Inc.  (Advisor  Class)  dated June 13,  1997
                    (filed   electronically  as  an  exhibit  to  Post-Effective
                    Amendment  No. 77 on Form N-1A of  American  Century  Mutual
                    Funds, Inc., Commission File No. 2-14213).

                    (c) Amendment No. 2 to Master  Distribution  and Shareholder
                    Services Plan of American Century Capital Portfolios,  Inc.,
                    American  Century  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,   American  Century
                    Strategic Asset Allocations, Inc. and American Century World
                    Mutual Funds,  Inc. (Advisor Class) dated September 30, 1997
                    (filed   electronically  as  an  exhibit  to  Post-Effective
                    Amendment  No. 78 on Form N-1A of  American  Century  Mutual
                    Funds, Inc., Commission File No. 2-14213).

                    (d) Shareholder  Services Plan of Twentieth  Century Capital
                    Portfolios,   Inc.,   Twentieth  Century  Investors,   Inc.,
                    Twentieth  Century  Strategic  Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and
                    Twentieth  Century World  Investors,  Inc.  (Service  Class)
                    dated September 3, 1996 (filed  electronically as an Exhibit
                    to  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 9 on Form N-1A of American
                    Century Capital Portfolios, Inc., File No. 33-64872).

               16.  Schedule  of   Computation   for   Performance   Advertising
                    Quotations (filed herewith as EX-99.B16).

               17.  Power of Attorney (filed herewith as Exhibit 99.B17).

               18.  (a)  Multiple  Class  Plan  of  Twentieth   Century  Capital
                    Portfolios,   Inc.,   Twentieth  Century  Investors,   Inc.,
                    Twentieth  Century  Strategic  Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and
                    Twentieth  Century World Investors,  Inc. dated September 3,
                    1996 (filed  electronically  as an Exhibit to Post-Effective
                    Amendment  No. 9 on Form N-1A of  American  Century  Capital
                    Portfolios, Inc, File No. 33-64872).

                    (b)  Amendment  No. 1 to  Multiple  Class  Plan of  American
                    Century Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  American Century Mutual
                    Funds,  Inc.,  American Century Strategic Asset Allocations,
                    Inc. and American  Century  World Mutual Funds,  Inc.  dated
                    June  13,  1997  (filed  electronically  as  an  exhibit  to
                    Post-Effective  Amendment  No. 77 on Form  N-1A of  American
                    Century Mutual Funds, Inc., Commission File No. 2-14213).

                    (c)  Amendment  No. 2 to  Multiple  Class  Plan of  American
                    Century Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  American Century Mutual
                    Funds,  Inc.,  American Century Strategic Asset Allocations,
                    Inc. and American  Century  World Mutual Funds,  Inc.  dated
                    September  30, 1997 (filed  electronically  as an exhibit to
                    Post-Effective  Amendment  No. 78 on Form  N-1A of  American
                    Century Mutual Funds, Inc., Commission File No. 2-14213).

               27.  (a) Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth
                    Century   International   Growth  Fund  (filed  herewith  as
                    EX-27.1.1).

                    (b) Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth
                    Century  International  Discovery  Fund  (filed  herewith as
                    EX-27.1.2).

                    (c) Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth
                    Century Emerging Markets Fund (filed herewith as EX-27.1.3).

ITEM 25   Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant - None.

ITEM 26   Number of Holders of Securities

                                                   Number of Record Holders
                                                   As of February 27, 1998
                                            Investor    Institutional    Advisor
            Title of Series                  Class          Class         Class
            ---------------                 ------------------------------------
            
     American Century - Twentieth Century 
     International Growth Fund               99,672          2             20

     American Century - Twentieth Century 
     International Discovery Fund            20,157          0              0

     American Century - Twentieth Century 
     Emerging Markets Fund                      742          0              0

ITEM 27   Indemnification

          The  Registrant  is a  Maryland  Corporation.  Section  2-418  of  the
          Maryland  General  Corporation  Law allows a Maryland  corporation  to
          indemnify its officers, directors,  employees and agents to the extent
          provided in such statute.

          Article XIII of the Registrant's  Articles of Incorporation,  requires
          the indemnification of the Registrant's  directors and officers to the
          extent permitted by Section 2-418 of the Maryland General  Corporation
          Law, the Investment Company Act of 1940 and all other applicable laws.

          The Registrant has purchased an insurance policy insuring its officers
          and  directors  against  certain  liabilities  which such officers and
          directors  may incur while  acting in such  capacities  and  providing
          reimbursement  to the Registrant for sums which it may be permitted or
          required   to  pay  to  its   officers   and   directors   by  way  of
          indemnification  against such  liabilities,  subject in either case to
          clauses respecting deductibility and participation.

ITEM 28   Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor.

          American Century Investment Management,  Inc., the investment advisor,
          is engaged in the  business of  managing  investments  for  registered
          investment   companies,   deferred   compensation   plans   and  other
          institutional investors.

ITEM 29   Principal Underwriters.

          (a) Funds  Distributor,  Inc.  (the  "Distributor")  acts as principal
          underwriter for the following investment companies.

               American Century California Tax-Free and Municipal Funds
               American Century Capital Portfolios, Inc.
               American Century Government Income Trust
               American Century International Bond Funds
               American Century Investment Trust
               American Century Municipal Trust
               American Century Mutual Funds, Inc.
               American Century Premium Reserves, Inc.
               American Century Quantitative Equity Funds
               American Century Strategic Asset Allocations, Inc.
               American Century Target Maturities Trust
               American Century Variable Portfolios, Inc.
               American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
               BJB Investment Funds
               The Brinson Funds
               Dresdner RCM Capital Funds, Inc.
               Dresdner RCM Equity Funds, Inc.
               Harris Insight Funds Trust
               HT Insight Funds, Inc. d/b/a Harris Insight Funds
               J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds
               J.P. Morgan Funds
               The JPM Series Trust
               The JPM Series Trust II
               LaSalle Partners Funds, Inc.
               Monetta Fund, Inc.
               Monetta Trust
               The Montgomery Funds
               The Montgomery Funds II
               The Munder Framlington Funds Trust
               The Munder Funds Trust
               The Munder Funds, Inc.
               Orbitex Group of Funds
               St. Clair Funds, Inc.
               The Skyline Funds
               Waterhouse Investors Family of Funds, Inc.
               WEBS Index Fund, Inc.

               The  Distributor  is registered  with the Securities and Exchange
               Commission  as a  broker-dealer  and is a member of the  National
               Association of Securities Dealers.  The Distributor is located at
               60 State Street,  Suite 1300,  Boston,  Massachusetts  02109. The
               Distributor  is an  indirect  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Boston
               Institutional  Group,  Inc.,  a  holding  company  all  of  whose
               outstanding shares are owned by key employees.

          (b)  The following is a list of the executive officers,  directors and
               partners of the Distributor:

<TABLE>
Name and Principal Business          Positions and Offices with          Positions and Offices with
Address*                             Underwriter                         Registrant

<S>                                 <C>                                 <C>
Marie E. Connolly                    Director, President and Chief       none
                                     Executive Officer

Richard W. Ingram                    Executive Vice President            President, Principal Executive
                                                                         and Principal Financial Officer

Donald R. Roberson                   Executive Vice President            none

William S. Nichols                   Executive Vice President            none

Michael S. Petrucelli                Senior Vice President               none

Joseph F. Tower, III                 Director, Senior Vice President,    none
                                     Treasurer and Chief Financial
                                     Officer

Paula R. David                       Senior Vice President               none

Allen B. Closser                     Senior Vice President               none

Bernard A. Whalen                    Senior Vice President               none

William J. Nutt                      Director                            none
- --------------------
* All addresses are 60 State Street, Suite 1300, Boston, Massachusetts 02109
</TABLE>

          (c) Not applicable.

ITEM 30   Location of Accounts and Records

          All accounts,  books and other documents  required to be maintained by
          Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules  promulgated  thereunder,
          are  in  the  possession  of  Registrant,  American  Century  Services
          Corporation  and American  Century  Investment  Management,  Inc., all
          located at American  Century  Tower,  4500 Main  Street,  Kansas City,
          Missouri 64111.

ITEM 31   Management Services - None.

ITEM 32   Undertakings.

          (a)  Not applicable.

          (b)  Not applicable.

          (c)  The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish each person to whom a
               prospectus is delivered  with a copy of the  Registrant's  latest
               annual report to shareholders, upon request and without charge.

          (d)  The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will, if requested to do
               so by the holders of at least 10% of the Registrant's outstanding
               votes,  call a meeting of shareholders  for the purpose of voting
               upon the  question of the removal of a director  and to assist in
               communication  with other  shareholders  as  required  by Section
               16(c).
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  the
Investment  Company Act of 1940,  American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc., the
Registrant,  certifies that it has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No.
9 to its  Registration  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri on the
30th day of March, 1998.

                                       American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
                                       (Registrant)

                                        By:/s/David H. Reinmiller
                                           David H. Reinmiller,
                                           Assistant General Counsel

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 9 has been signed below by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.

   Signature                         Title                           Date

*Richard W. Ingram          President, Principal Executive     March 30, 1998
Richard W. Ingram           and Principal Financial Officer

*Maryanne Roepke            Vice President, Treasurer and      March 30, 1998
Maryanne Roepke             Principal Accounting Officer

*James E. Stowers, Jr.      Director                           March 30, 1998
James E. Stowers, Jr.

*James E. Stowers III       Director                           March 30, 1998
James E. Stowers III

*Thomas A. Brown            Director                           March 30, 1998
Thomas A. Brown

*Robert W. Doering, M.D.    Director                           March 30, 1998
Robert W. Doering, M.D.

*Andrea C. Hall, Ph.D.      Director                           March 30, 1998
Andrea C. Hall, Ph.D.

*Donald H. Pratt            Director                           March 30, 1998
Donald H. Pratt

*Lloyd T. Silver, Jr.       Director                           March 30, 1998
Lloyd T. Silver, Jr.

*M. Jeannine Strandjord     Director                           March 30, 1998
M. Jeannine Strandjord

*D. D. (Del) Hock           Director                           March 30, 1998
D. D. (Del) Hock

*By /s/David H. Reinmiller
    David H. Reinmiller
    Attorney-in-Fact


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.

Exhibit        Description of Document
Number

EX-99.B1a      Articles of Incorporation  of Twentieth  Century World Investors,
               Inc.  (filed as a part of  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 6 to the
               Registration  Statement on Form N-1A of the Registrant,  File No.
               33-39242,  filed  March  29,  1996  and  incorporated  herein  by
               reference).

EX-99.B1b      Articles of Amendment of Twentieth Century World Investors,  Inc.
               dated August 10, 1993 is included herein.

EX-99.B1c      Articles  Supplementary  of Twentieth  Century  World  Investors,
               Inc.,  dated November 8, 1993 (filed as a part of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.  33-39242,   filed  March  29,  1996  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B1d      Articles  Supplementary  of Twentieth  Century  World  Investors,
               Inc.,  dated April 24,  1995  (filed as a part of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.  33-39242,   filed  March  29,  1996  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B1e      Articles  Supplementary  of Twentieth  Century  World  Investors,
               Inc.,  dated March 11,  1996  (filed as a part of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 7 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.   33-39242,   filed  June  13,  1996  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

Ex-99.B1f      Articles Supplementary of Twentieth Century World Investors, Inc.
               dated September 9, 1996 is included herein.

EX-99.B1g      Articles of Amendment of Twentieth Century World Investors,  Inc.
               dated  December  2,  1996  (filed  as a  part  of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 8 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.  33-39242,   filed  March  31,  1997  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B1h      Articles  Supplementary  of American  Century World Mutual Funds,
               Inc.  dated  December 2, 1996 (filed as a part of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 8 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.  33-39242,   filed  March  31,  1997  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B2a      By-Laws of Twentieth  Century World  Investors,  Inc. (filed as a
               part  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  6 to  the  Registration
               Statement  on Form  N-1A of the  Registrant,  File No.  33-39242,
               filed March 29, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference).

Ex-99.B2b      Amendment to By-Laws of American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
               (filed  as a  part  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  9 to  the
               Registration  Statement on Form N-1A of American  Century Capital
               Portfolios,  Inc., File No. 33-64872, filed February 17, 1998 and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B4       Specimen  Certificate  representing  shares  of  common  stock of
               American  Century  World Mutual Funds,  Inc.  (filed as a part of
               Post-Effective  Amendment No. 8 to the Registration  Statement on
               Form N-1A of the Registrant,  File No. 33-39242,  filed March 31,
               1997 and incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B5       Management Agreement between American Century World Mutual Funds,
               Inc. and  American  Century  Investment  Management,  Inc.  dated
               August 1, 1997 is included herein.

EX-99.B6       Distribution  Agreement  between  American  Century  World Mutual
               Funds,  Inc. and Funds  Distributor,  Inc. dated January 15, 1998
               (filed  as a  part  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  28 to the
               Registration  Statement on Form N-1A of American  Century  Target
               Maturities  Trust,  File No. 2-94608,  filed on January 30, 1998,
               and incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B8a      Custody   Agreement  by  and  between   Twentieth  Century  World
               Investors,   Inc.  and  UMB  Bank,  N.A.  (filed  as  a  part  of
               Post-Effective  Amendment No. 6 to the Registration  Statement on
               Form N-1A of the Registrant,  File No. 33-39242,  filed March 29,
               1996 and incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B8b      Amendment  No. 1 to Custody  Agreement  by and between  Twentieth
               Century World  Investors,  Inc. and UMB Bank, N.A., dated January
               25, 1996 (filed as a part of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No. 6 to
               the Registration  Statement on Form N-1A of the Registrant,  File
               No.  33-39242,  filed March 29, 1996 and  incorporated  herein by
               reference).

EX-99.B8c      Master Agreement by and between Twentieth Century Services,  Inc.
               and Commerce  Bank, N. A. dated January 22, 1997 (filed as a part
               of Post-Effective  Amendment No. 76 to the Registration Statement
               on Form N-1A of American  Century  Mutual Funds,  Inc.,  File No.
               2-14213,  filed  February  28,  1997 and  incorporated  herein by
               reference).

EX-99.B9       Transfer  Agency  Agreement  dated as of March  1,  1991,  by and
               between  Twentieth  Century World  Investors,  Inc. and Twentieth
               Century  Services,  Inc.  (filed  as  a  part  of  Post-Effective
               Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the
               Registrant,   File  No.  33-39242,   filed  March  29,  1996  and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B10      Opinion and consent of Counsel.

EX-99.B11a     Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

EX-99.B11b     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

EX-99.B12a     Annual Report of the  Registrant  dated  November 30, 1997 (filed
               January 23, 1998, File No. 33-39242,  and incorporated  herein by
               reference).

EX-99.B14      Model  Retirement Plans (filed as Exhibits 14a-d to Pre-Effective
               Amendment No. 4 to the Registration  Statement on Form N-1A, File
               No. 33-39242, and incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B15a     Master  Distribution  and Shareholder  Services Plan of Twentieth
               Century Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  Twentieth Century Investors,
               Inc.,  Twentieth  Century Strategic Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and
               Twentieth  Century World  Investors,  Inc.  (Advisor Class) dated
               September  3, 1996 (filed as a part of  Post-Effective  Amendment
               No. 9 to the  Registration  Statement  on Form  N-1A of  American
               Century  Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  File  No.  33-64872,  filed
               February 17, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B15b     Shareholder   Services   Plan  of   Twentieth   Century   Capital
               Portfolios,  Inc.,  Twentieth Century Investors,  Inc., Twentieth
               Century Strategic Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and Twentieth Century
               World  Investors,  Inc.  (Service  Class) dated September 3, 1996
               (filed  as a  part  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  9 to  the
               Registration  Statement on Form N-1A of American  Century Capital
               Portfolios,  Inc., File No. 33-64872, filed February 17, 1998 and
               incorporated herein by reference).

EX-99.B16      Schedule of Computation for Performance Advertising Quotations.

EX-99.B17      Power of Attorney dated January 23, 1998 is included herein.

EX-99.B18a     Multiple  Class Plan of  Twentieth  Century  Capital  Portfolios,
               Inc.,  Twentieth  Century  Investors,   Inc.,  Twentieth  Century
               Strategic  Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and Twentieth  Century World
               Investors,  Inc.  dated  September  3,  1996  (filed as a part of
               Post-Effective  Amendment No. 9 to the Registration  Statement on
               Form N-1A of American Century Capital Portfolios,  Inc., File No.
               33-64872,  filed  February  17, 1998 and  incorporated  herein by
               reference).

EX-99.B18b     Amendment  No.  1 to  Multiple  Class  Plan of  American  Century
               Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  American Century Mutual Funds, Inc.,
               American Century Strategic Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and American
               Century World Mutual Funds,  Inc. dated June 13, 1997 (filed as a
               part  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  77 to the  Registration
               Statment on Form N-1A of American  Century  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,
               File No. 2-14213,  filed on July 17, 1997 and incorporated herein
               by reference).

EX-99.B18c     Amendment  No.  2 to  Multiple  Class  Plan of  American  Century
               Capital  Portfolios,  Inc.,  American Century Mutual Funds, Inc.,
               American Century Strategic Asset  Allocations,  Inc. and American
               Century World Mutual Funds,  Inc. dated September 30, 1997 (filed
               as a part of Post-Effective  Amendment No. 78 to the Registration
               Statement on Form N-1A of American  Century  Mutual Funds,  Inc.,
               File No.  2-14213,  filed on February  26, 1998 and  incorporated
               herein by reference).

EX-27.1.1      Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth  Century
               International Growth Fund.

EX-27.1.2      Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth  Century
               International Discovery Fund.

EX-27.1.3      Financial Data Schedule for American Century - Twentieth  Century
               Emerging Markets Fund.

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

                                       OF

                     TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD INVESTORS, INC.


         The undersigned, John H. Hartenbach, does hereby certify that:

         1. He is the duly elected  Vice-President  of Twentieth  Century  World
Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Corporation").

         2. The amendment to the Articles of  Incorporation  of the  Corporation
set forth below, by resolution  unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors of
the  Corporation  at a meeting  held on May 8, 1993,  was deemed  advisable  and
directed to be presented for a vote of the stockholders of the corporation.  The
stockholders of the  corporation,  at a meeting held on July 28, 1993,  approved
the adoption of the amendment as required by the general  Corporation Law of the
State of Maryland and the corporation's Articles of Incorporation.

         3. The amendment of the Articles of Incorporation proposed by the Board
of Directors and adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation is as follows:

         RESOLVED, that the articles of Incorporation of Twentieth Century World
         Investors,  Inc.,  a Maryland  corporation,  be, and they  hereby  are,
         amended by deleting all of paragraph 2(a) of the present  Article FIFTH
         thereof and by inserting in lieu thereof the  following  new  paragraph
         2(a) of Articles  FIFTH,  providing  in its  entirety  as follows  (all
         remaining paragraphs of Article FIFTH being unchanged hereby):

         FIFTH.
         2.  The  preferences,   conversion  or  other  rights,  voting  powers,
         restrictions,  limitation as to dividends,  qualifications and terms or
         conditions of redemption thereof shall be as follows:

         (a) Holders of shares of stock of the Corporation  shall be entitled to
         one vote for each dollar,  and a fractional vote for each fraction of a
         dollar,  of net asset  value per  share for each  share of stock  held,
         irrespective  of the  class  or  series;  provided,  however,  that (1)
         matters  affecting only one class or series shall be voted upon only by
         that class or series,  and (2) where required by the Investment Company
         Act of  1940  or  the  regulations  adopted  thereunder  or  any  other
         applicable  law,  certain  matters shall be voted on separately by each
         class or series of shares affected.
<PAGE>
         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  hereby  acknowledges  that this
Articles of Amendment is the act of Twentieth Century World Investors,  Inc. and
states,  that to the best of his knowledge,  information and belief, the matters
and  fact  stated  therein  are true in all  material  respects,  and that  this
statement is made under penalties of perjury.

         Dated this 10th day of August, 1993.


                                                     /s/ John H. Hartenbach
                                                     John H. Hartenbach
                                                     Vice President


Witness:

/s/ Patrick A. Looby
Patrick A. Looby
Assistant Secretary

                     TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD INVESTORS, INC.

                             ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

         TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD INVESTORS,  INC., a Maryland  corporation whose
principal Maryland office is located in Baltimore, Maryland (the "Corporation"),
hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland
that:

         FIRST: Pursuant to authority expressly vested in the Board of Directors
of the Corporation by Section  2-605(a)(4) of the Maryland  General  Corporation
Law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has renamed the duly  established
and allocated series of the Corporation's stock as follows:

         New Name                                           Prior Name
         --------                                           ----------
Twentieth Century International Equity             International Equity
Twentieth Century International Discovery Fund     International Emerging Growth


         SECOND:  Pursuant  to  authority  expressly  vested  in  the  Board  of
Directors by Article FIFTH and Article SEVENTH of the Articles of  Incorporation
of the  Corporation,  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Corporation  has  duly
established a new series of shares titled  Twentieth  Century  Emerging  Markets
Fund (hereinafter referred to as a "Series") for the Corporation's stock and has
allocated  One  Hundred  Million  (100,000,000)  shares of the One  Billion  One
Hundred  Million  (1,100,000,000)  shares  of  authorized  capital  stock of the
Corporation,  par value One Cent ($.01) per share, for an aggregate par value of
One Million Dollars  ($1,000,000)  to the new Series.  As a result of the action
taken by the Board of Directors  referenced in Article FIRST and SECOND of these
Articles Supplementary, the three (3) Series of stock of the Corporation and the
number of shares and aggregate par value of each is as follows:

Series                                   Number of Shares    Aggregate Par Value
- ------                                   ----------------    -------------------
Twentieth Century International Equity     800,000,000           $ 8,000,000
Twentieth Century International            200,000,000             2,000,000
    Discovery Fund
Twentieth Century Emerging Markets Fund    100,000,000             1,000,000

The par  value of each  share of stock in each  Series is One Cent  ($0.01)  per
share.

         THIRD: Pursuant to authority expressly vested in the Board of Directors
by Article FIFTH and Article SEVENTH of the Articles of Incorporation, the Board
of Directors of the  Corporation  (a) has duly  established  four (4) classes of
shares (each hereinafter  referred to as a "Class") for each of the three Series
of the  capital  stock of the  Corporation  and (b) has  reallocated  the shares
designated  to each Series in Article  SECOND above among the Classes of shares.
As a result of the action taken by the Board of Directors, the Classes of shares
of the three  Series of stock of the  Corporation  and the  number of shares and
aggregate par value of each is as follows:
<TABLE>
                                               Number of Shares          Number of Shares            Aggregate
Series Name                    Class Name     Before Reallocation         as Reallocated             Par Value
- -----------                    ----------     -------------------         --------------             ---------
<S>                           <C>            <C>                          <C>                  <C>
Twentieth Century               N/A                   800,000,000                      0
    International Equity        Investor                        0            400,000,000        $4,000,000,000
                                Institutional                   0             60,000,000               600,000
                                Service                         0            170,000,000             1,700,000
                                Advisor                         0            170,000,000             1,700,000

Twentieth Century               N/A                   200,000,000                      0
    International               Investor                        0            100,000,000               160,000
    Discovery Fund              Institutional                   0             16,000,000               160,000
                                Service                         0             42,000,000               420,000
                                Advisor                         0             42,000,000               420,000

Twentieth Century               N/A                   100,000,000                      0
    Emerging Markets            Investor                        0             50,000,000               500,000
    Fund                        Institutional                   0              8,000,000               800,000
                                Service                         0             21,000,000               210,000
                                Advisor                         0             21,000,000               210,000
</TABLE>

         FOURTH: Except as otherwise provided by the express provisions of these
Articles  Supplementary,  nothing herein shall limit, by inference or otherwise,
the  discretionary  right of the Board of  Directors to  serialize,  classify or
reclassify  and  issue by any  unissued  shares  of any  Series  or Class or any
unissued shares that have not been allocated to a Series or Class, and to fix or
alter  all  terms  thereof,  to the full  extent  provided  by the  Articles  of
Incorporation of the Corporation.

         FIFTH: A description of the series and classes of shares, including the
preferences,   conversion  and  other  rights,   voting  powers,   restrictions,
limitations  as to  dividends,  qualifications,  and  terms and  conditions  for
redemption is set forth in the Articles of  Incorporation of the Corporation and
is not  changed by these  Articles  Supplementary,  except  with  respect to the
creation and/or designation of the various Series.

         SIXTH:   The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Corporation  duly  adopted
resolutions dividing into Series the authorized capital stock of the Corporation
and   allocating   shares  to  each  Series  as  set  forth  in  these  Articles
Supplementary.

         SEVENTH:  The  Board  of  Directors  of the  Corporation  duly  adopted
resolutions  renaming  the  Series,  as set forth in Article  FIRST,  allocating
shares to the Series, as set forth in Article SECOND, and dividing the Series of
capital stock of the Corporation  into Classes and  reallocating  shares to each
Class, as set forth in Article THIRD.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD INVESTORS, INC. has caused
these Articles  Supplementary  to be signed and  acknowledged in its name and on
its behalf by its Vice President and its corporate  seal to be hereunto  affixed
and attested to by its Secretary on this 9th day of September, 1996.


                                                     TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD
ATTEST:                                              INVESTORS, INC.


/s/ William M. Lyons                                 By: /s/ Patrick A. Looby
Name:  William M. Lyons                              Name:  Patrick A. Looby
Title:    Secretary                                  Title:    Vice President



         THE UNDERSIGNED  Vice President of TWENTIETH  CENTURY WORLD  INVESTORS,
INC.,  who  executed  on  behalf  of said  Corporation  the  foregoing  Articles
Supplementary to the Charter,  of which this certificate is made a part,  hereby
acknowledges,  in the name of and on behalf of said  Corporation,  the foregoing
Articles  Supplementary  to  the  Charter  to  be  the  corporate  act  of  said
Corporation,  and  further  certifies  that,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,
information and belief,  the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to
the approval  thereof are true in all material  respects  under the penalties of
perjury.


Dated:  September 9, 1996                   /s/ Patrick A. Looby
                                            --------------------
                                            Patrick A. Looby, Vice President

                              MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT


         THIS MANAGEMENT  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement")  is made as of the 1st day of
August,  1997,  by and between  AMERICAN  CENTURY  WORLD MUTUAL  FUNDS,  INC., a
Maryland  corporation  (hereinafter  called  the  "Corporation"),  and  AMERICAN
CENTURY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,  INC., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called
the "Investment Manager").

         WHEREAS,  the Corporation has adopted a Multiple Class Plan dated as of
September 3, 1996 (as the same may be amended from time to time,  the  "Multiple
Class Plan"),  pursuant to Rule 18f-3 of the Investment  Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Investment Company Act"), and

         WHEREAS, the Multiple Class Plan establishes four classes of shares for
certain  series  of  shares  of  the   Corporation:   the  Investor  Class,  the
Institutional Class, the Service Class, and the Advisor Class; and

         WHEREAS,  the parties  hereto  desire to enter into this  Agreement  to
arrange for investment  management services to be provided by Investment Manager
for all classes of shares issued by the Corporation.

         NOW, THEREFORE,  IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual promises and agreements
herein contained, the parties agree as follows:

         1.  Investment  Management  Services.   The  Investment  Manager  shall
supervise  the  investments  of each  class  of each  series  of  shares  of the
Corporation  contemplated  as of  the  date  hereof,  and  each  class  of  each
subsequent  series of shares as the  Corporation  shall  select  the  Investment
Manager to  manage.  In such  capacity,  the  Investment  Manager  shall  either
directly,  or through the  utilization  of others as  contemplated  by Section 7
below, maintain a continuous investment program for each series,  determine what
securities  shall be purchased or sold by each series,  secure and evaluate such
information  as it deems  proper  and  take  whatever  action  is  necessary  or
convenient to perform its functions,  including the placing of purchase and sale
orders. In performing its duties hereunder,  the Investment  Manager will manage
the  portfolio  of all  classes  of  shares of a  particular  series as a single
portfolio.

         2.  Compliance  with Laws.  All functions  undertaken by the Investment
Manager  hereunder shall at all times conform to, and be in accordance with, any
requirements imposed by: (1) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Investment Company Act"), and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;
(2) any other applicable provisions of law; (3) the Articles of Incorporation of
the  Corporation as amended from time to time; (4) the Bylaws of the Corporation
as  amended  from  time  to  time;  (5) the  Multiple  Class  Plan;  and (6) the
registration  statement(s)  of the  Corporation,  as amended  from time to time,
filed under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act.

         3. Board Supervision. All of the functions undertaken by the Investment
Manager hereunder shall at all times be subject to the direction of the Board of
Directors of the  Corporation,  its  executive  committee,  or any  committee or
officers  of  the  Corporation  acting  under  the  authority  of the  Board  of
Directors.

         4.  Payment of  Expenses.  The  Investment  Manager will pay all of the
expenses of each class of each series of the Corporation's  shares that it shall
manage  other  than  interest,   taxes,  brokerage  commissions,   extraordinary
expenses,  the fees and  expenses  of those  directors  who are not  "interested
persons" as defined in the Investment  Company Act  (hereinafter  referred to as
the "Independent  Directors") (including counsel fees), and expenses incurred in
connection with the provision of shareholder services and distribution  services
under the Master  Distribution  and  Shareholder  Services  Plan  adopted by the
Corporation and dated September 3, 1996. The Investment Manager will provide the
Corporation with all physical  facilities and personnel required to carry on the
business of each class of each series of the Corporation's  shares that it shall
manage,  including but not limited to office space,  office furniture,  fixtures
and equipment,  office supplies, computer hardware and software and salaried and
hourly paid personnel.  The Investment  Manager may at its expense employ others
to provide all or any part of such facilities and personnel.

         5.  Account  Fees.  The  Corporation,  by  resolution  of the  Board of
Directors,  including a majority of the Independent Directors,  may from time to
time authorize the  imposition of a fee as a direct charge  against  shareholder
accounts of any class of one or more of the  series,  such fee to be retained by
the Corporation or to be paid to the Investment Manager to defray expenses which
would  otherwise  be paid by the  Investment  Manager  in  accordance  with  the
provisions of paragraph 4 of this  Agreement.  At least sixty days prior written
notice of the intent to impose such fee must be given to the shareholders of the
affected class and series.

         6. Management Fees.

         (a)  In  consideration  of the  services  provided  by  the  Investment
Manager,  each class of each series of shares of the Corporation  managed by the
Investment  Manager shall pay to the Investment  Manager a per annum  management
fee (hereinafter, the "Applicable Fee") as follows:

<TABLE>
                                                                    Asset                         Applicable
Name of Series                      Name of Class                   Level                           Fee Rate
- --------------                      -------------                   -----                           --------

<S>                                 <C>                       <C>                                    <C>  
Twentieth Century                   Investor Class            0-$500 million                         1.75%
International Discovery                                       $500 million-$1 billion                1.40%
Fund                                                          $1 billion and over                    1.20%
                                    Institutional Class       0-$500 million                         1.55%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.20%
                                                              $1 billion and over                    1.00%
                                    Service Class             0-$500 million                         1.50%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.15%
                                                              $1 billion and over                     .95%
                                    Advisor Class             0-$500 million                         1.50%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.15%
                                                              $1 billion and over                     .95%


                                                                    Asset                         Applicable
Name of Series                      Name of Class                   Level                           Fee Rate
- --------------                      -------------                   -----                           --------

Twentieth Century                   Investor Class            0-$ 1 billion                          1.50%
International Growth                                          $1 billion-$2 billion                  1.20%
Fund                                                          $2 billion and over                    1.10%
                                    Institutional Class       0-$1 billion                           1.30%
                                                              $1 billion-$2 billion                  1.00%
                                                              $2 billion and over                     .90%
                                    Service Class             0-$1 billion                           1.25%
                                                              $1 billion-$2 billion                   .95%
                                                              $2 billion and over                     .85%
                                    Advisor Class             0-$1 billion                           1.25%
                                                              $1 billion-$2 billion                   .95%
                                                              $2 billion and over                     .85%
Twentieth Century                   Investor Class            0-$500 million                         2.00%
Emerging Markets                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.50%
Fund                                                          $1 billion and over                    1.25%
                                    Institutional Class       0-$500 million                         1.80%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.30%
                                                              $1 billion and over                    1.05%
                                    Service Class             0-$500 million                         1.75%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.25%
                                                              $1 billion and over                    1.00%
                                    Advisor Class             0-$500 million                         1.75%
                                                              $500 million-$1 billion                1.25%
                                                              $1 billion and over                    1.00%
</TABLE>

         (b) On the first business day of each month,  each class of each series
of shares set forth above shall pay the  management fee at the rate specified by
subparagraph (a) of this paragraph 6 to the Investment  Manager for the previous
month.  The fee for the previous  month shall be calculated by  multiplying  the
Applicable  Fee set forth  above  for each  class  and  series by the  aggregate
average  daily  closing  value of the net assets of each class and series during
the previous  month,  and further  multiplying  that product by a fraction,  the
numerator  of which shall be the number of days in the previous  month,  and the
denominator of which shall be 365 (366 in leap years).

         (c) In the event that the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  shall
determine  to issue any  additional  series or classes of shares for which it is
proposed  that  the  Investment  Manager  serve  as  investment   manager,   the
Corporation  and the  Investment  Manager  may enter  into an  Addendum  to this
Agreement  setting  forth the name of the series,  the  Applicable  Fee and such
other terms and conditions as are applicable to the management of such series of
shares.

         7.  Subcontracts.  In rendering the services to be provided pursuant to
this  Agreement,  the  Investment  Manager  may,  from  time to time,  engage or
associate  itself with such persons or entities as it determines is necessary or
convenient in its sole discretion and may contract with such persons or entities
to obtain  information,  investment  advisory and management  services,  or such
other  services  as  the  Investment  Manager  deems   appropriate.   Any  fees,
compensation  or expenses to be paid to any such person or entity  shall be paid
by the Investment  Manager,  and no obligation to such person or entity shall be
incurred on behalf of the Corporation.  Any arrangement entered into pursuant to
this paragraph  shall, to the extent required by law, be subject to the approval
of the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation,  including  a  majority  of the
Independent Directors, and the shareholders of the Corporation.

         8. Continuation of Agreement.  This Agreement shall continue in effect,
unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, for a period of two years from
the  execution  hereof,  and  for  as  long  thereafter  as its  continuance  is
specifically  approved at least  annually  (a) by the Board of  Directors of the
Corporation  or by the vote of a  majority  of the  outstanding  class of voting
securities  of each series and (b) by the vote of a majority of the Directors of
the Corporation,  who are not parties to the Agreement or interested  persons of
any such party,  cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such approval.

         9.  Termination.  This  Agreement may be  terminated by the  Investment
Manager at any time without penalty upon giving the Corporation 60 days' written
notice,  and may be  terminated  at any time  without  penalty  by the  Board of
Directors of the Corporation or by vote of a majority of the outstanding  voting
securities  of each  class of each  series  on 60 days'  written  notice  to the
Investment Manager.

         10. Effect of Assignment.  This Agreement shall automatically terminate
in the event of assignment by the Investment Manager,  the term "assignment" for
this purpose  having the meaning  defined in Section  2(a)(4) of the  Investment
Company Act.

         11.  Other  Activities.  Nothing  herein  shall be  deemed  to limit or
restrict  the  right  of the  Investment  Manager,  or the  right  of any of its
officers,  directors  or  employees  (who may  also be a  director,  officer  or
employee of the Corporation),  to engage in any other business or to devote time
and attention to the management or other aspects of any other business,  whether
of a similar or  dissimilar  nature,  or to render  services  of any kind to any
other corporation, firm, individual or association.

         12. Standard of Care. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence,  or reckless  disregard of its obligations or duties hereunder
on the part of the Investment Manager,  it, as an inducement to it to enter into
this  Agreement,  shall not be subject to liability to the Corporation or to any
shareholder  of the  Corporation  for any act or  omission  in the course of, or
connected  with,  rendering  services  hereunder  or for any losses  that may be
sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security.

         13. Separate  Agreement.  The parties hereto  acknowledge  that certain
provisions of the Investment Company Act, in effect, treat each series of shares
of an investment  company as a separate  investment  company.  Accordingly,  the
parties  hereto  hereby  acknowledge  and  agree  that,  to  the  extent  deemed
appropriate and consistent with the Investment Company Act, this Agreement shall
be deemed to constitute a separate  agreement between the Investment Manager and
each series of shares of the Corporation managed by the Investment Manager.

         14.  Use of the Names  "American  Century",  "Twentieth  Century",  and
"Benham".  The names "American Century",  "Twentieth Century",  and "Benham" and
all rights to the use of the names "American Century",  "Twentieth Century", and
"Benham" are the exclusive  property of American  Century  Services  Corporation
and/or its affiliate, Benham Management Corporation (collectively, "ACSC"). ACSC
has  consented  to, and  granted a  non-exclusive  license  for,  the use by the
Corporation of the names "American Century",  "Twentieth Century",  and "Benham"
in the name of the Corporation  and any series of shares  thereof.  Such consent
and non-exclusive  license may be revoked by ACSC in its discretion if ACSC, the
Investment  Manager,  or a  subsidiary  or  affiliate  of  either of them is not
employed as the investment  adviser of each series of shares of the Corporation.
In the  event of such  revocation,  the  Corporation  and each  series of shares
thereof using the names "American  Century",  "Twentieth  Century",  or "Benham"
shall  cease  using  the  names  "American  Century",  "Twentieth  Century",  or
"Benham", unless otherwise consented to by ACSC or any successor to its interest
in such names.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  have caused  this  Agreement  to be
executed by their  respective  duly  authorized  officers as of the day and year
first above written.


AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD                  AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENT
  MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.                      MANAGEMENT, INC.

By: /s/ James E. Stowers III            By: /s/ James E. Stowers III
      Name:  James E. Stowers III       Name:  James E. Stowers III
      Title:    President               Title:    President


Attest :/s/ William M. Lyons             Attest: /s/ William M. Lyons
         Name:  William M. Lyons         Name:  William M. Lyons
         Title:     Secretary            Title:     Secretary

                              DAVID H. REINMILLER
                                ATTORNEY AT LAW

                       4500 MAIN STREET * P.O. BOX 418210
                        KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64141-9210

                            TELEPHONE (816)340-4046
                            TELECOPIER (816)340-4964

March 30, 1998

American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
American Century Tower
4500 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64111

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     As  counsel  to  American   Century   World   Mutual   Funds,   Inc.   (the
"Corporation"),  I am  generally  familiar  with its  affairs.  Based  upon this
familiarity, and upon the examination of such documents as I deemed relevant, it
is my opinion that the shares of the  Corporation  described  in  Post-Effective
Amendment No. 9 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A, to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission on March 30, 1998,  will,  when issued,  be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     For the record, it should be stated that I am an officer of the Corporation
and  an  officer  of  American  Century  Services  Corporation,   an  affiliated
corporation  of American  Century  Investment  Management,  Inc., the investment
adviser of the Corporation.

     I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 9.

                                 Very truly yours,

                                 /s/David H. Reinmiller
                                 David H. Reinmiller

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.:

We  consent  to the  use  in  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  9 to  Registration
Statement  No.  33-39242 of our report dated  January 13, 1998,  included in the
Annual  Report  to  Shareholders  for the year  ended  November  30,  1997,  and
incorporated by reference in the Statement of Additional Information, which is a
part of such  Registration  Statement,  and to the  references  to us under  the
captions "Financial Highlights" appearing in the Prospectuses,  which also are a
part of such Registration Statement.

                                                        /s/Deloitte & Touche LLP
                                                        Deloitte & Touche LLP
Kansas City, Missouri
March 26, 1998

                                ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                          Certified Public Accountants
                       One Kansas City Place * Suite 2000
                                1200 Main Street
                          Kansas City, Missouri 64105

                            Telephone (816) 474-5200
                               Fax (816) 480-5555


CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.
American Century Tower
4500 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64111


We consent to the use of our report  dated  January 3, 1997 on the  Statement of
Changes in Net Assets and Financial Highlights for the period ended November 30,
1996  of  American  Century  World  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.  in the  Post-Effective
Amendment No. 9 to the Registration Statement (Form N-1A) and related Prospectus
filed with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the Securities Act of
1933  (Registration  No. 33-39242) and under the Investment  Company Act of 1940
(Registration No. 811-6247).

                                                  /s/Ernst & Young LLP
                                                  ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Kansas City, Missouri
March 26, 1998

          SCHEDULE OF COMPUTATION OF PERFORMANCE ADVERTISING QUOTATIONS

         Set forth below are  representative  calculations of each type of total
return performance quotation included in the Statement of Additional Information
of American Century World Mutual Funds, Inc.

          1. AVERAGE  ANNUAL TOTAL  RETURN.  The average  one-year  annual total
     return of  International  Growth as quoted in the  Statement of  Additional
     Information, was 18.12%.

     This return was calculated as follows:

           n
     P(1+T)  =ERV
     where,

     P   = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
     T   = average annual total return
     n   = number of years
     ERV = ending redeemable value of the hypothetical $1,000 payment at the end
           of the period.

     Applying  the actual  return  figures  of the fund for the one year  period
ended November 30, 1997:

               1
     1,000(1+T)  = $1,181.20

                    1
          (1,181.20)
     T =  ----------  - 1
            (1,000)

     T = 18.12%

          2.   CUMULATIVE   TOTAL  RETURN.   The  cumulative   total  return  of
     International  Growth from May 9, 1991  (inception) to November 30, 1997 as
     quoted in the Statement of Additional Information, was 132.66%

     This return was calculated as follows:

              (ERV-P)
          C = -------
                 P

          where,

     C   = cumulative total return
     P   = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
     ERV = ending redeemable value of the hypothetical $1,000 payment at the
           end of the period.

     Applying the actual  return  figures of the fund for the period May 9, 1991
through November 30, 1997.

          (2,326.6-1,000)
     C =  ----------------
               1,000

     C =  132.66%

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned,  American Century
World Mutual Funds,  Inc.,  hereinafter  called the  "Corporation",  and certain
directors  and officers of the  Corporation,  do hereby  constitute  and appoint
Richard  W.  Ingram,  Patrick  A.  Looby,  Charles  A.  Etherington,   David  H.
Reinmiller, and Charles C.S. Park, and each of them individually, their true and
lawful  attorneys  and agents to take any and all action and execute any and all
instruments  which said  attorneys and agents may deem necessary or advisable to
enable the  Corporation  to comply  with the  Securities  Act of 1933 and/or the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and any rules, regulations,  orders,
or other  requirements of the United States  Securities and Exchange  Commission
thereunder, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933
and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,  including  specifically,
but without limitation of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of
the  Corporation in its behalf and to affix its corporate  seal, and to sign the
names of each of such  directors and officers in their  capacities as indicated,
to any  amendment or  supplement to the  Registration  Statement  filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,  and to any instruments or documents
filed  or to be  filed  as a part of or in  connection  with  such  Registration
Statement;  and each of the  undersigned  hereby  ratifies and confirms all that
said attorneys and agents shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Corporation  has  caused  this  Power to be
executed by its duly authorized officers on this the 23rd day of January, 1998.

                                       AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.


                                       By:  /s/ Richard W. Ingram
                                            Richard W. Ingram, President


                               SIGNATURE AND TITLE

/s/ Richard W. Ingram                              /s/ Robert W. Doering
Richard W. Ingram                                  Robert W. Doering, M.D.
President, Principal Executive and Principal       Director
Financial Officer

/s/ Maryanne Roepke                                /s/ Andrea C. Hall
Maryanne Roepke                                    Andrea C. Hall, Ph.D.
Vice President and Treasurer                       Director


/s/ James E. Stowers, Jr.                          /s/ Donald H. Pratt
James E. Stowers, Jr.                              Donald H. Pratt
Director                                           Director


/s/ James E. Stowers III                           /s/ Lloyd T. Silver
James E. Stowers III                               Lloyd T. Silver
Director                                           Director


/s/ Thomas A. Brown                                /s/ M. Jeannine Strandjord
Thomas A. Brown                                    M. Jeannine Strandjord
Director                                           Director


Attest:                                            /s/ D.D. (Del) Hock
                                                   D.D. ("Del") Hock
By:  /s/ Patrick A. Looby                          Director
       Patrick A. Looby, Secretary

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM THE ANNUAL
REPORT OF AMERICAN  CENTURY  WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH  REPORT.  INFORMATION  PRESENTED IS A TOTAL OF ALL CLASSES,
EXCEPT WHERE SUCH PRESENTATION IS NOT POSSIBLE(SUCH AS PER SHARE DATA). IN THOSE
CASES, ONLY THE INVESTOR CLASS INFORMATION IS PRESENTED.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000872825
<NAME> AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 1
   <NAME> INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                     NOV-30-1997                <F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                        1,566,526,070
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                       1,734,472,716
<RECEIVABLES>                                                   78,898,640
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                                   4,329,843
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                               1,817,701,199
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                        56,566,641
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                                  0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                                        4,560,209
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                             61,126,850
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                                  1,905,393
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                                     1,357,959,010
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                          190,539,318
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                          154,308,018
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                        5,233,208
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                                   0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                                        222,860,335
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                                 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                                       168,616,403
<NET-ASSETS>                                                 1,756,574,349
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                               20,225,691
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                                2,978,771
<OTHER-INCOME>                                                           0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                                  22,736,418
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                            468,044
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                                       229,010,260
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                                       18,520,872
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                          247,999,176
<EQUALIZATION>                                                           0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                            5,636  <F2>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                       140,790,632  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                                    0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                                        142,861,678
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                                    124,492,346
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                             17,861,968  
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                                          41,013,854
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                            273,167  
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                      139,138,340  
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                                  0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                               0  
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                           25,562,932
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                                 25,609,372
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                         1,638,863,569
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                                 8.73 <F2>
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                                       0.00
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                               1.41 <F2>
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                                  0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                             0.92
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                                  0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                                   9.22 <F2>
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                                       1.38 <F2>
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                                   0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                                  0.00
        
<FN>                                                                 
<F1>SCHEDULE RELFECTS THE TOTAL FOR ALL CLASSES, EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED.
<F2>INVESTOR CLASS INFORMATION ONLY.
</FN>

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM THE ANNUAL
REPORT OF AMERICAN  CENTURY  WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH REPORT.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000872825
<NAME> AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> INTERNATIONAL DISCOVERY FUND
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                     YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                      NOV-30-1997                
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                           532,422,755
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                          627,283,234
<RECEIVABLES>                                                    14,956,635
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                                      210,102
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                                      0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  642,449,971
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                         14,741,600
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                                   0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                                         1,381,771
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                              16,123,371
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                                     733,465
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                                        500,595,724
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                            73,346,501
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                            49,602,881
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                         1,404,025
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                                    0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                                          28,490,013
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                                  0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                                         95,103,373
<NET-ASSETS>                                                    626,326,600
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                                 6,831,213
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                                   716,059
<OTHER-INCOME>                                                            0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                                    9,607,413
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                          (2,060,141)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                                         32,550,517
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                                        47,358,619
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                            77,848,995
<EQUALIZATION>                                                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                           862,734
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                         16,063,439  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                                     0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                                          39,820,482
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                                      18,446,269
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                               2,369,407  
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                                          249,198,209
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                             739,552  
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                        15,590,283  
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                                   0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                                0  
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                            10,542,265
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                        0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                                  10,547,042
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                            564,142,831
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                                  7.60
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                                       (0.03)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                                1.31
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                                   0.02
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                              0.32
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                                   0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                                    8.54
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                                        1.70
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                                 0  
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                                   0.00
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH REPORT.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000872825
<NAME> AMERICAN CENTURY WORLD MUTUAL FUNDS, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> EMERGING MARKETS
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                NOV-30-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                     NOV-30-1997                
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                           14,670,327
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                          13,671,009
<RECEIVABLES>                                                      194,140
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                                      36,521
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  13,901,670
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                           689,952
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                                  0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                                        1,382,203
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                              2,072,155
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                                     28,511
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                                        13,547,264
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                            2,851,142
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                                    0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                                0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                                   0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                                           (747,570)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                                 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                                          (998,690)
<NET-ASSETS>                                                    11,829,515
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                                    9,188
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                                   11,580
<OTHER-INCOME>                                                           0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                                      33,065
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                            (12,297)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                                          (758,197)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                                         (998,690)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                           (1,769,184)
<EQUALIZATION>                                                           0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                                0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                                 0  
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                                    0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                                          3,580,134
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                                        728,992
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                                      0  
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                                          11,829,515
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                                  0  
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                                                0  
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                                  0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                               0  
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                               33,065
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                                     33,065
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                             9,721,852
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                                 5.00
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                                      (0.01)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                              (0.84)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                                  0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                             0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                                  0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                                   4.15
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                                       2.00
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                                0  
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                                  0.00
        

</TABLE>


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