<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 08/31/98
000 C000000 0000052848
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 VANGUARD WORLD FUND
001 B000000 811-1027
001 C000000 6106691000
002 A000000 100 VANGUARD BOULEVARD
002 B000000 MALVERN
002 C000000 PA
002 D010000 19355
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 2
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 VANGUARD U.S. GROWTH FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND
007 C030200 N
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
010 A00AA01 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC.
010 B00AA01 801-11953
010 C01AA01 MALVERN
010 C02AA01 PA
010 C03AA01 19355
012 A00AA01 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-772
012 C01AA01 MALVERN
012 C02AA01 PA
012 C03AA01 19355
013 A00AA01 PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS LLP
013 B01AA01 PHILADELPHIA
013 B02AA01 PA
013 B03AA01 19103
014 A00AA01 VANGUARD MARKETING CORP.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
014 B00AA01 8-21570
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 97
019 C00AA00 VANGUARDGR
020 A000001 FRANK RUSSELL SECURITIES, INC.
020 B000001 91-0604934
020 C000001 1791
020 A000002 JAVELIN SECURITIES-LONDON
020 C000002 1518
020 A000003 JAMES CAPEL & CO. -LONDON
020 C000003 1411
020 A000004 MORGAN STANLEY & CO.,INC.
020 B000004 13-2655998
020 C000004 1351
020 A000005 SMITH BARNEY INC.
020 B000005 13-1912900
020 C000005 615
020 A000006 MORGAN STANLEY INTERNATIONAL-LONDON
020 C000006 605
020 A000007 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
020 B000007 13-5674085
020 C000007 529
020 A000008 ROBERT FLEMING -LONDON
020 C000008 511
020 A000009 WARBURG SECURITIES -LONDON
020 C000009 475
020 A000010 MERRILL LYNCH- LONDON
020 C000010 462
021 000000 16859
022 A000001 THE VANGUARD GROUP, INC./POOLED CASH ACCT.
022 B000001 23-1945930
022 C000001 4268788
022 D000001 4366719
022 A000002 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000002 13-5108880
022 C000002 497154
022 D000002 320312
022 A000003 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INC.
022 B000003 13-2655998
022 C000003 333758
022 D000003 289213
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 164291
022 D000004 158930
022 A000005 SMITH BARNEY SALOMON, INC.
022 B000005 13-1912900
022 C000005 82812
022 D000005 72002
022 A000006 BEAR STERNS & CO, INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000006 13-3299429
022 C000006 123313
022 D000006 26590
022 A000007 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JEANRETTE SEC.
022 B000007 13-2741729
022 C000007 25426
022 D000007 111632
022 A000008 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORP.
022 B000008 13-5659485
022 C000008 32159
022 D000008 69218
022 A000009 KLEINWORT BENSON-LONDON
022 C000009 38202
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 FRANK RUSSELL SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000010 91-0604934
022 C000010 0
022 D000010 26159
023 C000000 5686921
023 D000000 5519281
024 00AA00 N
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
034 00AA00 N
035 00AA00 0
036 B00AA00 0
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 N
040 00AA00 N
042 A00AA00 0
042 B00AA00 0
042 C00AA00 0
042 D00AA00 0
042 E00AA00 0
042 F00AA00 0
042 G00AA00 0
042 H00AA00 0
043 00AA00 0
044 00AA00 0
054 A00AA00 N
054 B00AA00 N
054 C00AA00 N
<PAGE> PAGE 4
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 N
054 H00AA00 N
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 N
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 N
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 N
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 Y
057 00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 3000
062 A00AA00 N
062 B00AA00 0.0
062 C00AA00 0.0
062 D00AA00 0.0
062 E00AA00 0.0
062 F00AA00 0.0
062 G00AA00 0.0
062 H00AA00 0.0
062 I00AA00 0.0
062 J00AA00 0.0
062 K00AA00 0.0
062 L00AA00 0.0
062 M00AA00 0.0
062 N00AA00 0.0
062 O00AA00 0.0
062 P00AA00 0.0
062 Q00AA00 0.0
062 R00AA00 0.0
063 A00AA00 0
063 B00AA00 0.0
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 N
077 C000000 Y
077 D000000 Y
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 5
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 350000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 107
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00 0
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 LINCOLN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-11417
008 D010101 CHICAGO
008 D020101 IL
008 D030101 60606
015 A000101 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 BOSTON
015 C020101 MA
015 C030101 02110
015 E010101 X
028 A010100 246793
028 A020100 0
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 102440
028 B010100 261579
<PAGE> PAGE 6
028 B020100 0
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 129909
028 C010100 219877
028 C020100 0
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 106769
028 D010100 319463
028 D020100 0
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 132521
028 E010100 515846
028 E020100 0
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 147313
028 F010100 382104
028 F020100 0
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 234822
028 G010100 1945662
028 G020100 0
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 853774
028 H000100 0
029 000100 N
030 A000100 0
030 B000100 0.00
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 0
031 B000100 0
032 000100 0
033 000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 Y
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 25000
048 A020100 0.400
048 B010100 125000
048 B020100 0.350
048 C010100 350000
048 C020100 0.250
048 D010100 500000
048 D020100 0.200
048 E010100 1500000
048 E020100 0.150
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 2500000
048 K020100 0.100
049 000100 N
050 000100 N
051 000100 N
052 000100 N
053 A000100 N
066 A000100 Y
066 B000100 N
066 C000100 N
066 D000100 Y
066 E000100 N
066 F000100 N
066 G000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 Y
070 B010100 Y
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 N
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 Y
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 Y
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 Y
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 Y
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 N
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 Y
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 8
070 O010100 Y
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 N
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 5691397
071 B000100 4190043
071 C000100 8728126
071 D000100 48
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 16605
072 C000100 80888
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 11377
072 G000100 11266
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 10770
072 J000100 15
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 209
072 M000100 18
072 N000100 0
072 O000100 553
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 10
072 S000100 0
072 T000100 2267
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 111
072 W000100 0
072 X000100 36596
072 Y000100 1141
072 Z000100 62038
072AA000100 980319
072BB000100 125515
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 6955
072DD010100 72786
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 239928
073 A010100 0.2700
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.8900
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 0
074 B000100 189416
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 C000100 0
074 D000100 0
074 E000100 51406
074 F000100 9446828
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 2108
074 J000100 13252
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 35845
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 9738855
074 O000100 103205
074 P000100 2691
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 46265
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 9586694
074 U010100 315754
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 30.36
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 407863
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 8990792
076 000100 0.00
008 A000201 SCHRODER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000201 A
008 C000201 801-15834
008 D010201 LONDON
008 D050201 ENGLAND
008 D060201 EC2V 8AS
015 A000201 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
015 B000201 C
015 C010201 BROOKLYN
015 C020201 NY
015 C030201 11245
015 E010201 X
025 D000201 0
025 D000202 0
025 D000203 0
025 D000204 0
025 D000205 0
025 D000206 0
025 D000207 0
025 D000208 0
<PAGE> PAGE 10
028 A010200 284772
028 A020200 0
028 A030200 0
028 A040200 222450
028 B010200 281392
028 B020200 0
028 B030200 0
028 B040200 236930
028 C010200 207624
028 C020200 0
028 C030200 0
028 C040200 218412
028 D010200 217858
028 D020200 0
028 D030200 0
028 D040200 214942
028 E010200 323747
028 E020200 0
028 E030200 0
028 E040200 264362
028 F010200 172786
028 F020200 3
028 F030200 0
028 F040200 273792
028 G010200 1488179
028 G020200 3
028 G030200 0
028 G040200 1430888
028 H000200 0
029 000200 N
030 A000200 0
030 B000200 0.00
030 C000200 0.00
031 A000200 0
031 B000200 0
032 000200 0
033 000200 0
045 000200 Y
046 000200 N
047 000200 N
048 000200 0.000
048 A010200 0
048 A020200 0.000
048 B010200 0
048 B020200 0.000
048 C010200 0
048 C020200 0.000
048 D010200 0
048 D020200 0.000
048 E010200 0
048 E020200 0.000
<PAGE> PAGE 11
048 F010200 0
048 F020200 0.000
048 G010200 0
048 G020200 0.000
048 H010200 0
048 H020200 0.000
048 I010200 0
048 I020200 0.000
048 J010200 0
048 J020200 0.000
048 K010200 0
048 K020200 0.000
049 000200 N
050 000200 N
051 000200 Y
052 000200 N
053 A000200 N
066 A000200 Y
066 B000200 N
066 C000200 N
066 D000200 Y
066 E000200 N
066 F000200 N
066 G000200 N
067 000200 N
068 A000200 N
068 B000200 Y
069 000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 Y
070 B010200 Y
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 N
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 Y
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 N
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 Y
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 Y
070 G020200 N
070 H010200 Y
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 Y
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 N
070 K010200 Y
070 K020200 N
070 L010200 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 12
070 L020200 Y
070 M010200 Y
070 M020200 Y
070 N010200 Y
070 N020200 Y
070 O010200 Y
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 N
070 P020200 N
070 Q010200 N
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 N
070 R020200 N
071 A000200 2559573
071 B000200 2758039
071 C000200 6866170
071 D000200 37
072 A000200 12
072 B000200 27766
072 C000200 116369
072 D000200 0
072 E000200 0
072 F000200 12319
072 G000200 10214
072 H000200 0
072 I000200 13226
072 J000200 4469
072 K000200 0
072 L000200 287
072 M000200 17
072 N000200 0
072 O000200 457
072 P000200 0
072 Q000200 0
072 R000200 8
072 S000200 0
072 T000200 2211
072 U000200 0
072 V000200 144
072 W000200 0
072 X000200 43352
072 Y000200 947
072 Z000200 101730
072AA000200 594395
072BB000200 558457
072CC010200 0
072CC020200 374412
072DD010200 83884
072DD020200 0
072EE000200 207713
073 A010200 0.2100
<PAGE> PAGE 13
073 A020200 0.0000
073 B000200 0.5200
073 C000200 0.0000
074 A000200 0
074 B000200 1081985
074 C000200 0
074 D000200 0
074 E000200 0
074 F000200 6082121
074 G000200 0
074 H000200 0
074 I000200 1519
074 J000200 226009
074 K000200 0
074 L000200 30851
074 M000200 0
074 N000200 7422485
074 O000200 6303
074 P000200 2697
074 Q000200 0
074 R010200 0
074 R020200 0
074 R030200 0
074 R040200 593036
074 S000200 0
074 T000200 6820449
074 U010200 411613
074 U020200 0
074 V010200 16.57
074 V020200 0.00
074 W000200 0.0000
074 X000200 449150
074 Y000200 0
075 A000200 0
075 B000200 7330593
076 000200 0.00
SIGNATURE GARY P. SOURA
TITLE MANAGER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000052848
<NAME> VANGUARD WORLD FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 01
<NAME> VANGUARD U.S. GROWTH FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> US
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1998
<PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 7248182
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 9687650
<RECEIVABLES> 49097
<ASSETS-OTHER> 2108
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 9738855
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 103205
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 48956
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 152161
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 6337626
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 315754
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 268407
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 35259
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 774341
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 2439468
<NET-ASSETS> 9586694
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 80888
<INTEREST-INCOME> 16605
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 35455
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 62038
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 854804
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (6955)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 909887
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 72786
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 239928
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 92058
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 55595
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 10884
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2141441
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 46007
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 159465
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11377
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 36596
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 8990792
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 27.74
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.21
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 3.57
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.27
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.89
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 30.36
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.41
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000052848
<NAME> VANGUARD WORLD FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 02
<NAME> VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> US
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1998
<PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 6209320
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 7164106
<RECEIVABLES> 256860
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1519
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 7422485
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 6303
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 595733
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 602036
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5763846
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 411613
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 396990
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 73209
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 28014
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 955380
<NET-ASSETS> 6820449
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 116369
<INTEREST-INCOME> 27766
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 42405
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 101730
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 35938
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (374412)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (236744)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 83884
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 207713
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 161215
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 163081
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 16489
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (268303)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 58733
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 196419
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 12319
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 43352
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 7330593
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 17.86
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.25
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.81)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.21
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.52
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 16.57
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.59
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
