<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from the Scudder Variable Life Investment
Fund Global Discovery Portfolio Annual Report for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
  <NUMBER> 5
  <NAME>  VLIF for GLOBAL DISCOVERY PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                     DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                        JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                  16,244,126
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                 16,904,247
<RECEIVABLES>                             273,377
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                371
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                       28,401
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                         17,206,396
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                  363,526
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                  85,606
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                       449,132
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>               16,054,634
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                   2,647,089
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         100
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                  44,728
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                          0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                  (18,886)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                        0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  676,788
<NET-ASSETS>                           16,757,264
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                          39,856
<INTEREST-INCOME>                          73,358
<OTHER-INCOME>                                  0
<EXPENSES-NET>                            124,360
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                  (11,146)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   36,987
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                 676,788
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                     108,629
<EQUALIZATION>                                  0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                        0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                           0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                 3,107,414
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>             (460,425)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                 16,756,664
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                         0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                      0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                      81,029
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                           124,360
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                   12,382,531
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                        6.00
<PER-SHARE-NII>                              0.01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                      0.33
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                         0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                    0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                         0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                          6.33
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                              1.50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                          0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                            0
        

</TABLE>