Passing the Keys: Homeownership Across Generations in Australia

09 Sep 2026 | Anna Pope

This PhD scholarship project will generate new knowledge on how homeownership and housing wealth are transmitted between generations in Australia, and on the implications of this transmission for those involved and for broader society.

The specific research program will be tailored to the candidate’s expertise and interests within the project’s overarching theme of intergenerational housing transmission. The project is expected to incorporate a strong quantitative component, with an optional qualitative component also supported.

The PhD candidate will be co-supervised by ARC DECRA Fellow Dr Christopher Phelps, and Professor Rachel Ong ViforJ, an ARC Future Fellow and internationally renowned housing researcher, providing an outstanding mentoring environment within Curtin’s School of Accounting, Economics and Finance.

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, i.e. applications are assessed as they are received.

Aim

To generate new evidence on how homeownership and housing wealth are transmitted across generations in Australia, and on the implications and outcomes this transmission has for those involved and for broader society, within a research program tailored to the candidate’s expertise and interests.

Objectives

Contribute original findings on the mechanisms and consequences of intergenerational housing transmission under the guidance of two experienced supervisors;
To develop and apply quantitative modelling techniques to housing and family data;
Optionally, build a well-rounded research skillset by incorporating qualitative methods alongside the project’s quantitative core.

Significance

Housing wealth inequality between generations is a growing concern in Australia, yet little systematic research has examined how homeownership advantage is passed from parents (and increasingly grandparents) to children, or what this means for those giving and receiving support. This PhD project will contribute new evidence to this critical and policy-relevant gap, equipping the candidate with advanced analytical skills and positioning them to make a genuine contribution to housing research in Australia.

Ideal Candidate

We are seeking applicants with an active research interest in housing economics or social policy, particularly in the areas of home ownership, housing wealth, ageing, or intergenerational transfers, with a focus on issues relevant to Australia.

Applicants should have quantitative modelling skills and be able to demonstrate a capacity for independent research, with sufficient training to pursue the proposed research course. This typically means a Master’s degree, or a Bachelor’s degree with first-class or upper second-class honours, in economics or a related field.

Applicants must be eligible to enrol in a PhD program at Curtin University, and this project is open to domestic, full-time applicants only.

Scholarship

This scholarship provides a stipend of $38,440 p.a. indexed annually, based on full-time studies, for up to 3.5 years, pending compliance with milestone and candidacy requirements. Successful applicants will receive a 100% tuition fee offset. Additional allowances are available to support training, conference travel, and thesis preparation.

Students are provided with a Curtin University laptop and access to dedicated working spaces for HDR students. The project offers significant opportunity for involvement in a live, funded ARC research program, based in Curtin’s School of Accounting, Economics and Finance — a school where housing is a core research specialty, and with a growing community of HDR students and early-career researchers in housing studies. Additionally, the applicants should meet the eligibility criteria for entry into a PhD program at Curtin University.