<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/96
000 C000000 0000002664
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 AETNA VARIABLE FUND
001 B000000 811-2514
001 C000000 8602738902
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
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 AETNA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-12643
008 D010001 HARTFORD
008 D020001 CT
008 D030001 06156
008 A000002 AELTUS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000002 S
008 C000002 801-9046
008 D010002 HARTFORD
008 D020002 CT
008 D030002 06156
010 A000001 AETNA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY
010 B000001 801-12643
010 C010001 HARTFORD
010 C020001 CT
010 C030001 06156
011 A000001 AETNA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY
011 B000001 8-13256
<PAGE> PAGE 2
011 C010001 HARTFORD
011 C020001 CT
011 C030001 06156
012 A000001 FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 85-00410
012 C010001 MILWAUKEE
012 C020001 WI
012 C030001 53201
012 C040001 0701
012 A000002 AETNA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY
012 B000002 84-00000
012 C010002 HARTFORD
012 C020002 CT
012 C030002 06156
013 A000001 KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02110
013 B040001 2371
014 A000001 AETNA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY
014 B000001 8-15409
014 A000002 AETNA INVESTMENT SERVICES, INC.
014 B000002 8-46451
014 A000003 SYSTEMATIZED BENEFITS ADMINISTRATORS, INC.
014 B000003 8-37340
014 A000004 AELTUS CAPITAL, INC.
014 B000004 8-41464
014 A000005 AETNA FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
014 B000005 8-19393
015 A000001 MELLON BANK NA
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 PITTSBURGH
015 C020001 PA
015 C030001 15258
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 13
019 C000000 AETNALIFEI
020 A000001 SALOMON BROTHERS
020 C000001 2044
020 A000002 SMITH BARNEY, SHEARSON, INC.
020 C000002 1760
020 A000003 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
020 C000003 1647
020 A000004 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
020 C000004 1530
020 A000005 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
020 C000005 719
020 A000006 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
020 C000006 635
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 A000007 BARCLAYS ZOETE WEDD
020 C000007 525
020 A000008 MERRILL LYNCH
020 C000008 342
020 A000009 WERTHEIM
020 C000009 323
020 A000010 ITG
020 C000010 309
021 000000 13663
022 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
022 C000001 9213446
022 D000001 814104
022 A000002 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 C000002 4582113
022 D000002 652007
022 A000003 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
022 C000003 2099285
022 D000003 155996
022 A000004 CITICORP
022 C000004 2037571
022 D000004 14998
022 A000005 J.P. MORGAN & CO.
022 C000005 1945947
022 D000005 79158
022 A000006 PAINE WEBBER, MITCHELL HUTCHINS
022 C000006 951647
022 D000006 799069
022 A000007 SMITH BARNEY, SHEARSON, INC.
022 C000007 954765
022 D000007 725112
022 A000008 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
022 C000008 950923
022 D000008 675420
022 A000009 SALOMON BROTHERS
022 C000009 556261
022 D000009 992417
022 A000010 MERRILL LYNCH
022 C000010 1058091
022 D000010 88766
023 C000000 29748382
023 D000000 6568607
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 ALEX BROWN INC
025 C000001 E
025 D000001 5380
025 A000002 BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC
025 C000002 E
025 D000002 10142
025 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
025 C000003 E
025 D000003 20163
<PAGE> PAGE 4
025 A000004 SALOMON INC.
025 C000004 E
025 D000004 34081
025 A000005 TRAVELERS INC.
025 C000005 E
025 D000005 119452
025 A000006 DELETE
025 D000006 0
025 A000007 DELETE
025 D000007 0
025 A000008 DELETE
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 11898
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 18880
028 B010000 11317
028 B020000 58285
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 10539
028 C010000 10231
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 9883
028 D010000 15002
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 17127
028 E010000 12321
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 59108
028 F010000 6802
028 F020000 671723
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 31333
028 G010000 67571
028 G020000 730008
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 146870
028 H000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
029 000000 N
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
034 000000 N
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 Y
040 000000 N
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.500
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
<PAGE> PAGE 6
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 Y
054 E000000 Y
054 F000000 Y
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 Y
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 Y
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 0
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 Y
067 000000 Y
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 Y
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 Y
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 Y
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 Y
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 5332646
071 B000000 5117253
071 C000000 6018511
071 D000000 85
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 14156
072 C000000 139043
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 22538
072 G000000 3259
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 0
072 J000000 0
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 0
072 M000000 0
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 0
072 S000000 0
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 1111
072 X000000 26908
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 126291
072AA000000 942130
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 311342
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 142296
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 587939
073 A010000 0.7330
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 3.0280
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 18023
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 108730
074 D000000 83315
074 E000000 21873
074 F000000 6770062
074 G000000 15621
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 44358
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 15211
074 M000000 3414
074 N000000 7080607
074 O000000 81515
074 P000000 0
074 Q000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 32474
074 R040000 12388
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 6954230
074 U010000 214694
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 32.39
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 739
074 Y000000 26881
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 6242513
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE CO.
080 B000000 GULF INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 15000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 25
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE SUSAN E. BRYANT
TITLE SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000002664
<NAME> AETNA VARIABLE FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,393,477,533
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 6,999,600,597
<RECEIVABLES> 59,569,922
<ASSETS-OTHER> 21,436,496
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 7,080,607,015
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 81,514,754
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 44,861,765
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 126,376,519
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,049,843,917
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 214,694,270
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 194,850,885
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (116,078)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 292,973,005
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 1,611,529,652
<NET-ASSETS> 6,954,230,496
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 139,042,717
<INTEREST-INCOME> 14,155,684
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (26,907,580)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 126,290,821
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 942,130,499
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 311,341,413
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 1,379,762,733
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (142,295,877)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (587,939,494)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 4,987,093
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (7,542,873)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 22,399,165
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 1,292,723,890
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 13,766,310
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (68,276,614)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 22,537,554
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 26,907,580
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 6,242,513,379
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 29.055
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.651
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 6.446
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.733)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (3.028)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 32.391
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .43
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>