The invention relates to a synthesis method and application of a selective oxidation photocatalyst with a molecular sieve as a carrier. The synthesis method comprises the following steps: dispersing amolecular sieve carrier into absolute ethyl alcohol, dropwise adding tetrabutyl titanate, and carrying out microwave reaction in Teflon lining hydrothermal reaction kettle; after the reaction is completed, rapidly heating chloroauric acid solution, carrying out microwave digestion for 5 minutes in an argon environment, washing, and drying, so that a Au/TiO2/molecular sieve visible light catalystwith the molecular sieve as the carrier is obtained. When the photocatalyst is applied to selective oxidation of aromatic alcohol compounds, the pollutants are degraded into aromatic aldehyde compounds under the visible light condition, and a high value-added product is obtained while the pollutants are effectively removed; and besides, the required equipment is simple, technology is simple, additional environmental harm can not be caused, and high-valued utilization of aromatic alcohol substances is realized, so that the synthesis method has extremely far-reaching social meaning and economicvalue.