<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 10/31/96
000 C000000 0000779239
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 NATIONWIDE INVESTING FOUNDATION II
001 B000000 811-004436
001 C000000 6142497869
002 A000000 THREE NATIONWIDE PLAZA 3-26-04
002 B000000 COLUMBUS
002 C000000 OH
002 D010000 43216
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 2
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C020200 U.S. GOVERNMENT INCOME 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
008 A00AA01 NATIONWIDE ADVISORY SERVICES, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-125000
008 D01AA01 COLUMBUS
008 D02AA01 OH
008 D03AA01 43216
011 A00AA01 NATIONWIDE ADVISORY SERVICES, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-12500000
011 C01AA01 COLUMBUS
011 C02AA01 OH
011 C03AA01 43216
012 A00AA01 NATIONWIDE INVESTORS SERVICES, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-9999999
012 C01AA01 COLUMBUS
012 C02AA01 OH
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C03AA01 43216
013 A00AA01 KPMG PEAT MARWICK
013 B01AA01 COLUMBUS
013 B02AA01 OH
013 B03AA01 43215
015 A00AA01 FIFTH THIRD BANK
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 CINCINNATI
015 C02AA01 OH
015 C03AA01 45263
015 E01AA01 X
018 00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 15
019 C00AA00 NATIONWIDE
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 UBS SECURITIES
022 B000001 13-2932996
022 C000001 111482
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 PRUDENTIAL BACHE
022 B000002 13-6134767
022 C000002 96898
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 WACHOVIA BANK
022 B000003 56-0927594
022 C000003 49615
022 D000003 45957
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 33475
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 CAMBRIDGE PARTNERS
022 B000005 13-3826794
022 C000005 4725
022 D000005 4990
022 A000006 SMITH BARNEY
022 B000006 13-1912900
022 C000006 3087
022 D000006 4413
022 A000007 RAYMOND JAMES
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000007 59-1237041
022 C000007 1011
022 D000007 4357
022 A000008 NOMURA SECURITIES
022 B000008 13-2642206
022 C000008 2549
022 D000008 1993
022 A000009 MAXCOR
022 B000009 13-3410896
022 C000009 2076
022 D000009 1749
022 A000010 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000010 13-2663822
022 C000010 1927
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 310987
023 D000000 64496
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
029 00AA00 N
030 A00AA00 0
030 B00AA00 0.00
030 C00AA00 0.00
031 A00AA00 0
031 B00AA00 0
032 00AA00 0
033 00AA00 0
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 N
040 00AA00 Y
041 00AA00 Y
045 00AA00 Y
046 00AA00 N
047 00AA00 Y
048 00AA00 0.000
048 A01AA00 250000
048 A02AA00 0.650
048 B01AA00 250000
048 B02AA00 0.600
048 C01AA00 250000
048 C02AA00 0.550
048 D01AA00 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
048 D02AA00 0.000
048 E01AA00 0
048 E02AA00 0.000
048 F01AA00 0
048 F02AA00 0.000
048 G01AA00 0
048 G02AA00 0.000
048 H01AA00 0
048 H02AA00 0.000
048 I01AA00 0
048 I02AA00 0.000
048 J01AA00 0
048 J02AA00 0.000
048 K01AA00 750000
048 K02AA00 0.500
049 00AA00 N
050 00AA00 N
051 00AA00 N
052 00AA00 N
053 A00AA00 Y
053 B00AA00 N
053 C00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 Y
054 C00AA00 Y
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 N
054 H00AA00 Y
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 N
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 Y
058 A00AA00 N
058 B00AA00 N
058 C00AA00 N
058 D00AA00 N
058 E00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 1000
066 A00AA00 N
067 00AA00 N
068 A00AA00 N
068 B00AA00 N
069 00AA00 N
<PAGE> PAGE 5
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
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 MARYLAND FIDELITY & DEPOSIT CO.
080 C00AA00 10000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 15
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
024 000100 N
028 A010100 1563
028 A020100 780
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 3282
028 B010100 1794
028 B020100 773
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 2389
<PAGE> PAGE 6
028 C010100 2253
028 C020100 768
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 2278
028 D010100 867
028 D020100 773
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 1967
028 E010100 1352
028 E020100 786
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 1752
028 F010100 1171
028 F020100 797
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 3329
028 G010100 9000
028 G020100 4677
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 14997
028 H000100 0
034 000100 Y
035 000100 169
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 0
042 D000100 0
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 100
042 H000100 0
043 000100 921
044 000100 0
055 A000100 Y
055 B000100 Y
056 000100 Y
057 000100 N
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 1.6
<PAGE> PAGE 7
062 M000100 0.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 98.4
062 P000100 0.0
062 Q000100 0.0
062 R000100 0.0
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 19.5
064 A000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 N
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 N
070 K010100 N
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 N
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 N
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 N
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 N
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 64427
071 B000100 63072
071 C000100 261155
071 D000100 24
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 15654
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 C000100 0
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 1705
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 159
072 J000100 41
072 K000100 43
072 L000100 10
072 M000100 3
072 N000100 23
072 O000100 0
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 13
072 S000100 0
072 T000100 921
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 13
072 X000100 2931
072 Y000100 395
072 Z000100 13118
072AA000100 2055
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 1473
072DD010100 13134
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 0.5088
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 0
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 0
074 D000100 260482
074 E000100 0
074 F000100 0
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 1442
074 K000100 28
074 L000100 5173
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 267125
074 O000100 1031
074 P000100 916
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 536
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 264642
074 U010100 25843
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 10.24
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 8504
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 263240
076 000100 0.00
024 000200 Y
025 A000201 PRUDENTIAL BACHE
025 B000201 13-6134767
025 C000201 D
025 D000201 1055
025 D000202 0
025 D000203 0
025 D000204 0
025 D000205 0
025 D000206 0
025 D000207 0
025 D000208 0
028 A010200 915
028 A020200 142
028 A030200 0
028 A040200 540
028 B010200 314
028 B020200 144
028 B030200 0
028 B040200 471
028 C010200 1086
028 C020200 148
028 C030200 0
028 C040200 551
028 D010200 310
028 D020200 144
028 D030200 0
028 D040200 1223
028 E010200 145
028 E020200 145
028 E030200 0
028 E040200 452
028 F010200 269
028 F020200 144
<PAGE> PAGE 10
028 F030200 0
028 F040200 567
028 G010200 3039
028 G020200 867
028 G030200 0
028 G040200 3804
028 H000200 0
034 000200 Y
035 000200 59
036 A000200 Y
036 B000200 0
042 A000200 0
042 B000200 0
042 C000200 0
042 D000200 0
042 E000200 0
042 F000200 0
042 G000200 100
042 H000200 0
043 000200 137
044 000200 0
055 A000200 N
055 B000200 N
056 000200 Y
057 000200 N
062 A000200 Y
062 B000200 0.0
062 C000200 0.0
062 D000200 2.7
062 E000200 0.0
062 F000200 0.0
062 G000200 0.0
062 H000200 0.0
062 I000200 0.0
062 J000200 0.0
062 K000200 0.0
062 L000200 0.3
062 M000200 0.0
062 N000200 18.2
062 O000200 0.0
062 P000200 0.0
062 Q000200 78.8
062 R000200 0.0
063 A000200 0
063 B000200 5.0
064 A000200 N
070 A010200 Y
070 A020200 Y
070 B010200 N
070 B020200 N
070 C010200 N
<PAGE> PAGE 11
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 N
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 N
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 N
070 G020200 N
070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 N
070 K010200 N
070 K020200 N
070 L010200 N
070 L020200 N
070 M010200 N
070 M020200 N
070 N010200 N
070 N020200 N
070 O010200 N
070 O020200 N
070 P010200 N
070 P020200 N
070 Q010200 N
070 Q020200 N
070 R010200 N
070 R020200 N
071 A000200 4898
071 B000200 3543
071 C000200 38075
071 D000200 9
072 A000200 12
072 B000200 2717
072 C000200 0
072 D000200 0
072 E000200 0
072 F000200 255
072 G000200 0
072 H000200 0
072 I000200 40
072 J000200 7
072 K000200 12
072 L000200 3
072 M000200 0
072 N000200 15
072 O000200 0
072 P000200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 12
072 Q000200 0
072 R000200 1
072 S000200 0
072 T000200 137
072 U000200 0
072 V000200 0
072 W000200 4
072 X000200 474
072 Y000200 59
072 Z000200 2302
072AA000200 34
072BB000200 0
072CC010200 0
072CC020200 277
072DD010200 2336
072DD020200 0
072EE000200 0
073 A010200 0.5936
073 A020200 0.0000
073 B000200 0.0000
073 C000200 0.0000
074 A000200 0
074 B000200 1055
074 C000200 0
074 D000200 38315
074 E000200 0
074 F000200 0
074 G000200 0
074 H000200 0
074 I000200 0
074 J000200 0
074 K000200 42
074 L000200 226
074 M000200 6
074 N000200 39644
074 O000200 0
074 P000200 140
074 Q000200 0
074 R010200 0
074 R020200 0
074 R030200 0
074 R040200 7
074 S000200 0
074 T000200 39497
074 U010200 3933
074 U020200 0
074 V010200 10.04
074 V020200 0.00
074 W000200 0.0000
074 X000200 2126
074 Y000200 0
<PAGE> PAGE 13
075 A000200 0
075 B000200 39254
076 000200 0.00
SIGNATURE WILLIAM G. GOSLEE, JR.
TITLE TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000779239
<NAME> NATIONWIDE INVESTING FOUNDATION II
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> NATIONWIDE TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> NOV-01-1995
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 249797168
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 260481900
<RECEIVABLES> 6642924
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 267124824
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 379446
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2103618
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2483064
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 257219402
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 25842939
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 25690778
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (11029)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (3251345)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 10684732
<NET-ASSETS> 264641760
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 15653726
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2536180
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 13117546
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2055736
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (1473376)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 13699906
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 13122781
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 11029
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1986252
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 2748350
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 914259
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2158156
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 5235
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (5307081)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1704966
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2931040
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 263239899
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.22
<PER-SHARE-NII> .50
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .03
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .50
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> .01
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.24
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .96
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000779239
<NAME> NATIONWIDE INVESTING FOUNDATION II
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 2
<NAME> NATIONWIDE U.S. GOVERNMENT INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> NOV-01-1995
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 38849949
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 39370419
<RECEIVABLES> 267518
<ASSETS-OTHER> 6124
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 39644061
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 146856
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 146856
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 39378409
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 3932514
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3930076
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (401674)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 520470
<NET-ASSETS> 39497205
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 2717130
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 415595
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 2301535
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 34406
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (277059)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 2058882
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 2301535
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 34416
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 482073
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 655486
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 175851
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (279765)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (436080)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 255149
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 474476
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 39253649
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.12
<PER-SHARE-NII> .58
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.07)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .59
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.04
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.06
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
