<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/97
000 C000000 0000002663
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 Y
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 AETNA VARIABLE ENCORE FUND
001 B000000 811-2565
001 C000000 8602730687
002 A000000 151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 HARTFORD
002 C000000 CT
002 D010000 06156
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 3.7
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 3.5
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 38.9
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 24.4
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 17.4
062 Q000000 11.1
062 R000000 0.0
071 A000000 0
071 B000000 0
071 C000000 0
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072 A000000 6
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074 T000000 655024
075 A000000 637149
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077 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 2
SIGNATURE SHAUN P. MATHEWS
TITLE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000002663
<NAME>AETNA VARIABLE ENCORE FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 648,512,888
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 648,589,720
<RECEIVABLES> 6,313,534
<ASSETS-OTHER> 304,446
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 655,207,700
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 183,954
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 183,954
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 638,539,073
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 50,368,443
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 46,499,453
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 16,467,379
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (59,538)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 76,832
<NET-ASSETS> 655,023,746
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 17,696,871
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (1,102,557)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 16,594,314
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 3,339
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (7,890)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 16,589,763
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (24,537,119)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 14,034,842
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (12,095,126)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1,929,274
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 41,518,408
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 24,410,184
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (62,877)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 786,601
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,102,557
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 637,148,666
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 13.194
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.327
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.009
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.525)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.005
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.35
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
