The invention relates to a phosphor in a polycrystalline ceramic structure and a light-emitting element provided with the same comprising a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) in which a composite structure of phosphor particles is embedded in a matrix, characterized in that the matrix is a ceramic composite structure comprising a polycrystalline ceramic alumina material, hereafter called luminescent ceramic matrix composite. This luminescent ceramic matrix composite can be made by the steps of converting a powder mixture of ceramic phosphor particles and alumina particles into a slurry, shaping the slurry into a compact, and applying a thermal treatment, optionally in combination with hot isostatic pressing into a polycrystalline phosphor-containing ceramic alumina composite structure. The luminescent ceramic matrix composite further allows a method of tuning the light-diffusing properties by changing at least one of the fractions of phosphor particles and second ceramic particles, the grain size of the particles of the ceramic composite structure, the difference in the refractive index of the particles of the ceramic composite structure, and the porosity in the polycrystalline phosphor-containing ceramic composite structure.