WANGER ADVISORS TRUST
                      227 West Monroe Street, Suite 3000
                            Chicago, Illinois 60606
                                 312 634-9200

                                  May 1, 1996

BY EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549-1004

                             Wanger Advisors Trust
                        1933 Act Registration 33-83548

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In accordance with Rule 497(j) of Regulation C under the Securities Act of 
1933, Wanger Advisors Trust (the "Trust") certifies that:

     a. the form of prospectus and statement of additional information that
        would have been filed under paragraph (c) of Rule 497 would not have
        differed from that contained in the most recent post-effective amendment
        to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A; and

     b. the text of the most recent post-effective amendment to the Trust's
        registration statement was filed with the Commission electronically on
        April 19, 1996.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       WANGER ADVISORS TRUST