Malia Obama, the elder daughter of US President Barack Obama, will attend Harvard University in the fall of 2017 after taking a gap year, the White House said on Sunday.

"Malia will take a gap year before beginning school," the White House said in a statement, making the girl the latest in a long list of presidential children to attend the elite university.

Malia, who turns 18 in July, is due to graduate from high school next month. Both of her parents are alumni of Harvard Law School.

Gap year is a popular option in the United States and Europe for high school or college seniors who are seeking experiences outside the classroom before they begin pursuing a degree or career.

Harvard accepted 5.2 percent of applicants this year, making this admissions cycle the most selective in its nearly four-century history, according to a New York Times report.