Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2009	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Sep. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenues		$ 639,185	$ 702,499	$ 737,188	$ 682,095	$ 695,391	$ 754,340	$ 771,866	$ 666,032	$ 650,757	$ 667,896	$ 655,469	$ 534,399	$ 2,760,967	$ 2,887,629	$ 2,508,521
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														509,881	661,600	593,723
Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairments														1,746,765	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt														9,474	11,368	47,207
Restructuring														11,633	610	6,776
Lease termination														2,500	0	0
Loss on EFL program loans														0	13,236	0
Fee paid to terminate management agreement with sponsors	29,600													0	0	29,555
Previously deferred stock-compensation costs														0	0	(15,223)
Depreciation and amortization														158,663	146,480	123,359
Interest expense, net														110,330	120,694	121,456
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest		(1,234,550)	(442,340)	103,291	44,115	58,103	113,457	138,432	59,220	80,932	109,252	34,540	25,423	(1,529,484)	369,212	250,147
Provision for income taxes (benefit) expense														(13,743)	139,704	81,641
Expenditures for long-lived assets														93,546	138,105	175,782
Assets		2,839,095				4,553,135								2,839,095	4,553,135
The Art Institutes [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments														51
Number of States in which Entity Operates		25												25
Student Concentration, Percentage														53.00%
Net revenues														1,738,542	1,791,176	1,597,072
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														477,466	531,163	455,188
Expenditures for long-lived assets														42,970	58,447	79,963
Assets		1,804,221				3,060,939								1,804,221	3,060,939
Argosy University [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments														20
Number of States in which Entity Operates		13												13
Student Concentration, Percentage														19.00%
Net revenues														397,458	431,097	344,382
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														56,652	97,481	66,338
Expenditures for long-lived assets														6,573	8,777	9,796
Assets		298,037				451,611								298,037	451,611
Brown Mackie Colleges [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments														28
Number of States in which Entity Operates		15												15
Student Concentration, Percentage														13.00%
Net revenues														314,801	348,140	301,850
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														62,041	96,740	98,045
Expenditures for long-lived assets														11,906	22,865	34,375
Assets		268,694				482,155								268,694	482,155
South University [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments														10
Number of States in which Entity Operates		8												8
Student Concentration, Percentage														15.00%
Net revenues														310,166	317,216	265,217
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														4,790	38,375	50,744
Expenditures for long-lived assets														9,056	6,539	13,423
Assets		241,982				284,259								241,982	284,259
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
EBITDA Excluding Certain Expenses														(91,068)	(102,159)	(76,592)
Expenditures for long-lived assets														23,041	41,477	38,225
Assets		$ 226,161				$ 274,171								$ 226,161	$ 274,171