<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 12/31/97
000 C000000 0000353101
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 FEDERATED SHORT-TERM MUNICIPAL TRUST
001 B000000 811-3181
001 C000000 4122888515
002 A000000 FEDERATED INVESTORS TOWER
002 B000000 PITTSBURGH
002 C000000 PA
002 D010000 15222
002 D020000 3779
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 FEDERATED MANAGEMENT
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-34610
008 D010001 PITTSBURGH
008 D020001 PA
008 D030001 15222
008 D040001 3779
010 A000001 FEDERATED SERVICES COMPANY
010 C010001 PITTSBURGH
010 C020001 PA
010 C030001 15222
010 C040001 3779
011 A000001 FEDERATED SECURITIES CORP.
011 B000001 8-15561
011 C010001 PITTSBURGH
011 C020001 PA
011 C030001 15222
011 C040001 3779
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 A000001 FEDERATED SHAREHOLDER SERVICES COMPANY
012 B000001 84-1869
012 C010001 PITTSBURGH
012 C020001 PA
012 C030001 15222
012 C040001 3779
013 A000001 ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
013 B010001 PITTSBURGH
013 B020001 PA
013 B030001 15222
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02266
015 C040001 8600
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 BANKERS TRUST CO.
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 NEW YORK
015 C020002 NY
015 C030002 10015
015 E010002 X
015 A000003 BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 NEW YORK
015 C020003 NY
015 C030003 10006
015 E010003 X
015 A000004 THE CHASE MANHATTAN CORP.
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 NEW YORK
015 C020004 NY
015 C030004 10006
015 E010004 X
015 A000005 MORGAN GUARANTY BANK & TRUST CO.
015 B000005 S
015 C010005 NEW YORK
015 C020005 NY
015 C030005 10015
015 E010005 X
015 A000006 NATIONSBANK OF NORTH CAROLINA
015 B000006 S
015 C010006 CHARLOTTE
015 C020006 NC
015 C030006 28255
015 E010006 X
015 A000007 PNC BANK, NA
015 B000007 S
015 C010007 PITTSBURGH
015 C020007 PA
<PAGE> PAGE 3
015 C030007 15265
015 E010007 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 N
019 B000000 0
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000001 13-5674085
022 C000001 6525
022 D000001 8494
022 A000002 FEDERATED MUNICIPAL SECURITIES FUND
022 C000002 8100
022 D000002 6881
022 A000003 FEDERATED INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL TRUST
022 C000003 5900
022 D000003 7400
022 A000004 FEDERATED MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITY FUND
022 C000004 7312
022 D000004 5800
022 A000005 FEDERATED PENNSYLVANIA MUNI INCOME FUND
022 B000005 25-1640787
022 C000005 4600
022 D000005 5200
022 A000006 SMITH BARNEY, INC.
022 B000006 13-1912900
022 C000006 0
022 D000006 8069
022 A000007 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000007 13-5108880
022 C000007 7680
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 PNC SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000008 25-1471636
022 C000008 3838
022 D000008 3838
022 A000009 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000009 13-2655998
022 C000009 0
022 D000009 7545
022 A000010 PIPER, JAFFRAY & HOPWOOD, INC.
022 B000010 13-5318885
<PAGE> PAGE 4
022 C000010 0
022 D000010 7520
023 C000000 76661
023 D000000 107432
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 N
026 E000000 Y
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 Y
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 6498
028 A020000 350
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 7435
028 B010000 8175
028 B020000 345
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 10879
028 C010000 4976
028 C020000 338
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 12034
028 D010000 8108
028 D020000 330
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 6391
028 E010000 2667
028 E020000 335
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 6539
028 F010000 6099
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 26274
028 G010000 36523
028 G020000 1698
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 69552
<PAGE> PAGE 5
028 H000000 0
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 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
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 0.400
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
<PAGE> PAGE 6
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 Y
053 B000000 Y
053 C000000 N
054 A000000 N
054 B000000 N
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 N
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 N
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 Y
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 25000
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 101.0
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
<PAGE> PAGE 7
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 3.1
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 N
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 N
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 30823
071 B000000 58412
071 C000000 205962
071 D000000 15
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 5013
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 425
072 G000000 80
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 28
072 J000000 13
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 13
072 M000000 8
072 N000000 16
072 O000000 2
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 40
072 R000000 7
072 S000000 4
072 T000000 276
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 7
072 X000000 919
072 Y000000 412
072 Z000000 4506
072AA000000 193
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 879
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 4340
072DD020000 165
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.2200
073 A020000 0.2100
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 188545
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 2389
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 190934
074 O000000 3532
074 P000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 736
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 186666
074 U010000 17256
074 U020000 853
074 V010000 10.31
074 V020000 10.31
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 857
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 208194
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 Y
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
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
SIGNATURE S. ELLIOT COHAN
TITLE ASST. GEN. COUNSEL
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME> Federated Short-Term Municipal Trust
Institutional Shares
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Jun-30-1998
<PERIOD-END> Dec-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 185,420,621
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 188,545,425
<RECEIVABLES> 2,388,882
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 190,934,307
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,531,955
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 735,831
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 4,267,786
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 189,305,379
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 17,256,473
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 20,492,519
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (2,253)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (5,761,409)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 3,124,804
<NET-ASSETS> 177,878,679
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 5,012,600
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 506,937
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 4,505,663
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 193,012
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 878,815
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 5,577,490
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 4,340,207
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3,226,992
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 6,619,705
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 156,667
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (30,259,995)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (5,954,420)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (2,252)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 424,773
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 919,458
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 208,194,136
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.260
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.220
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.050
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.220
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.310
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.47
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.000
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 002
<NAME> Federated Short-Term Municipal Trust
Institutional Service Shares
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Jun-30-1998
<PERIOD-END> Dec-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 185,420,621
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 188,545,425
<RECEIVABLES> 2,388,882
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 190,934,307
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,531,955
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 735,831
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 4,267,786
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 189,305,379
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 852,536
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 658,922
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (2,253)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (5,761,409)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 3,124,804
<NET-ASSETS> 8,787,842
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 5,012,600
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 506,937
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 4,505,663
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 193,012
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 878,815
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 5,577,490
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 165,457
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 324,289
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 139,095
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 8,420
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (30,259,995)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (5,954,420)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (2,252)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 424,773
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 919,458
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 208,194,136
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.260
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.210
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.050
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.210
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.310
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.72
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0.000
</TABLE>