<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 6
   <NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT BOND PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                          9496557
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                         9518616
<RECEIVABLES>                                   112589
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                    2105
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 9633310
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                        51801
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                              51801
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                       9251436
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                           936386
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1080081
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       319410
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                       (11396)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                         22059
<NET-ASSETS>                                   9581509
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               339617
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                   41964
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         297653
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       (18823)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                        (487)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           278343
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                          32664
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     176359
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       (1152112)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          21757
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                         7427
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            29622
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                  85031
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           9955975
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            9.939
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.320
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                        (0.027)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                             10.232
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.85
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>