As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2011

1933 Act Registration No. 333-125751
1940 Act Registration No. 811-21774

United States
Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form N-1A

Registration Statement Under the Securities Act of 1933		[   ]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __		[   ]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 52		[X]

and/or

Registration Statement Under the Investment Company Act of 1940		[   ]
Amendment No. 52		[X]

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 621-1675

W. Scott Jardine, Esq., Secretary
First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund
First Trust Advisors L.P.
120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
Eric F. Fess, Esq.
Chapman and Cutler LLP
111 West Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois 60603

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

[X]		Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[   ]		on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
[   ]		60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[   ]		on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[   ]		75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[   ]		on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

[   ]		this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

     This Registration Statement relates to First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index^SM Fund, First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index^SM Fund, First Trust ISE Chindia Index Fund, First Trust ISE-Revere Natural Gas Index Fund, First Trust ISE Water Index Fund, First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders^SM Index Fund, First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index^SM Fund, First Trust NASDAQ-100 Ex-Technology Sector Index^SM Fund, First Trust NASDAQ-100-Technology Sector Index^SM Fund, First Trust NASDAQ^® ABA Community Bank Index Fund, First Trust NASDAQ^® Clean Edge^® Green Energy Index Fund, First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index Fund, First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund, First Trust Strategic Value Index Fund, First Trust US IPO Index Fund, First Trust Value Line^® 100 Exchange-Traded Fund, First Trust Value Line^® Dividend Index Fund and First Trust Value Line^® Equity Allocation Index Fund, each a series of the Registrant.

Signatures

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Wheaton, and State of Illinois, on the 20th day of May, 2011.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Mark R. Bradley        Mark R. Bradley		Treasurer, Chief Operating Officer and Accounting Officer		May 20, 2011
/s/ James A. Bowen        James A. Bowen		President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Trustee		May 20, 2011

			)
Richard E. Erickson*		Trustee					)
			)
			)
Thomas R. Kadlec*		Trustee					)
			)
			)
Robert F. Keith*		Trustee					)		By:	/s/ James A. Bowen
			)							James A. Bowen
			)							Attorney-In-Fact
Niel B. Nielson *		Trustee					)			May 20, 2011
			)

Index to Exhibits

(101)   Risk/return summary in interactive data format