<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 17
   <NAME> THE AAL INTERNATIONAL FUND CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        115089454
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       115757084
<RECEIVABLES>                                 33062496
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  196725
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<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               149016305
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                      29982685
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       279880
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           30262565
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     111675805
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         10221250
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          5156647
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                     (584861)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        3417724
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       4245072
<NET-ASSETS>                                 118753740
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              1818527
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               781934
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 1834740
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         765721
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       4884829
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       701026
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          6351576
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (2818054)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (509864)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        5486739
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (720333)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             298196
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        61636555
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        1350310
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                        51335
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           873585
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                1834740
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          87453711
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.08
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   .005
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                            .68
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (.335)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (.060)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.37
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   2.10
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>