Guarantor Subsidiaries Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 01, 2006	Mar. 31, 2014 EM LLC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 EM LLC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 EM LLC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 EM LLC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 EM LLC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 EM LLC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Eliminations [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 EM LLC Consolidated [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 EDMC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 EDMC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 EDMC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 EDMC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 EDMC [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Consolidated Entities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidated Entities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Consolidated Entities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Consolidated Entities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Consolidated Entities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Consolidated Entities [Member]
Balance Sheet
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 270,567				$ 130,695				$ 191,008					$ 270,567	$ 130,695	$ 191,008	$ 403,224				$ (14,680)	$ (10,777)	$ (26,249)	$ (16,816)			$ 83	$ 139	$ 98	$ 270			$ 234,478	$ 141,110	$ 213,960	$ 369,637	$ 0	$ 0				$ 219,881	$ 130,472	$ 187,809	$ 353,091		$ 50,686	$ 223	$ 3,199	$ 50,133	$ 0	$ 0				$ 270,567	$ 130,695	$ 191,008	$ 403,224
Restricted cash	271,681				271,340									271,681	271,340						42,916	46,982					0	0					221,490	224,358			0	0				264,406	271,340				7,275	0			0	0				271,681	271,340
Student and other receivables, net	210,182				206,406									210,182	206,406						442	134					144	253					267,504	238,565			0	0				268,090	238,952				0	1			0	0				268,090	238,953
Other current assets	35,843				32,850									35,843	32,850						30,049	27,488					888	570					34,691	102,573			0	0				65,628	130,631				0	0			0	0				65,628	130,631
Total current assets	875,966				771,619									875,966	771,619						58,727	63,827					1,115	962					758,163	706,606			0	0				818,005	771,395				57,961	224			0	0				875,966	771,619
Property and equipment, net	429,457				525,625									429,457	525,625						66,901	65,018					5,804	5,984					356,752	454,623			0	0				429,457	525,625				0	0			0	0				429,457	525,625
Goodwill	343,406				777,153				1,048,027					343,406	777,153	1,048,027	2,581,999	2,600,000			7,328	7,328					0	0					336,078	769,825			0	0				343,406	777,153				0	0			0	0				343,406	777,153
Intangible assets, net (Note 5)	169,823				300,435									169,823	300,435						901	1,101					19	28					168,903	299,306			0	0				169,823	300,435				0	0			0	0				169,823	300,435
Other long-term assets	58,384				48,524									58,384	48,524						25,314	5,059					0	0					33,070	43,465			0	0				58,384	48,524				0	0			0	0				58,384	48,524
Intercompany balances																					668,366	653,504					(34,161)	(31,016)					(761,313)	(791,213)			0	0				(127,108)	(168,725)				127,108	168,725			0	0				0	0
Investments in subsidiaries																					356,375	846,826					0	0					0	0			(356,375)	(846,826)				0	0				(471,203)	187,289			471,203	(187,289)				0	0
Total assets	1,877,036				2,423,356									1,877,036	2,423,356						1,183,912	1,642,663					(27,223)	(24,042)					891,653	1,482,612			(356,375)	(846,826)				1,691,967	2,254,407				(286,134)	356,238			471,203	(187,289)				1,877,036	2,423,356
Current portion of long-term debt (Note 8)	11,875				12,076									11,875	12,076						231,765	86,850					0	0					0	226			0	0				231,765	87,076				0	0			0	0				231,765	87,076
Other current liabilities																					129,892	51,558					2,913	3,018					270,755	344,397			0	0				403,560	398,973				0	49			0	0				403,560	399,022
Long-term Debt	1,545,674													1,545,674
Total current liabilities	635,325				486,098									635,325	486,098						361,657	138,408					2,913	3,018					270,755	344,623			0	0				635,325	486,049				0	49			0	0				635,325	486,098
Long-term debt, less current portion (Note 8)	1,271,586				1,273,164									1,271,586	1,273,164						1,271,586	1,273,214					0	0					0	0			0	0				1,271,586	1,273,214				0	(50)			0	0				1,271,586	1,273,164
Other long-term liabilities	10,626				34,414									10,626	34,414						21,695	41,519					119	248					174,607	193,849			0	0				196,421	235,616				0	0			0	0				196,421	235,616
Deferred income taxes	83,067				156,441									83,067	156,441						177	2,233					120	399					59,541	69,607			0	0				59,838	72,239				(1,261)	383			0	0				58,577	72,622
Total liabilities																					1,655,115	1,455,374					3,152	3,665					504,903	608,079			0	0				2,163,170	2,067,118				(1,261)	382			0	0				2,161,909	2,067,500
Total shareholders' equity	(284,873)				355,856				578,735					(284,873)	355,856	578,735	2,103,944				(471,203)	187,289					(30,375)	(27,707)					386,750	874,533			(356,375)	(846,826)				(471,203)	187,289				(284,873)	355,856			471,203	(187,289)				(284,873)	355,856
Total liabilities and shareholders’ (deficit) equity	1,877,036				2,423,356									1,877,036	2,423,356						1,183,912	1,642,663					(27,223)	(24,042)					891,653	1,482,612			(356,375)	(846,826)				1,691,967	2,254,407				(286,134)	356,238			471,203	(187,289)				1,877,036	2,423,356
Income Statement
Net revenues	503,481	595,202	593,673	580,380	595,236	638,903	654,895	609,565	639,185	702,499	737,188	682,095		2,272,736	2,498,599	2,760,967					0	0	0				7,684	8,392	9,000				2,265,052	2,490,207	2,751,967		0	0	0			2,272,736	2,498,599	2,760,967			0	0	0		0	0	0			2,272,736	2,498,599	2,760,967
Educational services														1,373,699	1,447,097	1,502,356					65,655	116,094	93,322				10,285	9,287	10,554				1,297,758	1,321,716	1,398,480		0	0	0			1,373,698	1,447,097	1,502,356			1	0	0		0	0	0			1,373,699	1,447,097	1,502,356
General and administrative														667,567	689,143	762,863					(61,141)	(101,570)	(82,634)				(751)	(545)	(352)				729,459	791,258	845,573		0	0	0			667,567	689,143	762,587			0	0	276		0	0	0			667,567	689,143	762,863
Depreciation and amortization														152,501	164,712	158,663					28,744	32,552	26,637				631	605	500				123,126	131,555	131,526		0	0	0			152,501	164,712	158,663			0	0	0		0	0	0			152,501	164,712	158,663
Long-lived asset impairments (Notes 4 and 5)														568,216	300,104	1,662,288					0	0	0				0	0	0				568,216	300,104	1,662,288							568,216	300,104	1,662,288												568,216	300,104	1,662,288
Total costs and expenses														2,761,983	2,601,056	4,086,170					33,258	47,076	37,325				10,165	9,347	10,702				2,718,559	2,544,633	4,037,867		0	0	0			2,761,982	2,601,056	4,085,894			1	0	276		0	0	0			2,761,983	2,601,056	4,086,170
Income (loss) before interest and income taxes														(489,247)	(102,457)	(1,325,203)					(33,258)	(47,076)	(37,325)				(2,481)	(955)	(1,702)				(453,507)	(54,426)	(1,285,900)		0	0	0			(489,246)	(102,457)	(1,324,927)			(1)	0	(276)		0	0	0			(489,247)	(102,457)	(1,325,203)
Net interest expense														128,033	124,663	110,330					128,650	122,297	107,772				0	0	0				(609)	2,387	2,565		0	0	0			128,041	124,684	110,337			(8)	(21)	(7)		0	0	0			128,033	124,663	110,330
Loss on debt refinancing													5,200	0	5,232	9,474						5,232	9,474					0	0					0	0			0	0				5,232	9,474				0	0			0	0				5,232	9,474
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments																					(489,781)	(61,469)	(1,280,207)				0	0	0				0	0	0		489,781	61,469	1,280,207			0	0	0			(663,921)	(244,020)	(1,433,398)		663,921	244,020	1,433,398			0	0	0
Loss before income taxes	(95,023)	(499,926)	(2,383)	(19,948)	(9,487)	(254,111)	53,064	(21,818)	(1,174,569)	(417,844)	103,291	44,115		(617,280)	(232,352)	(1,445,007)					(651,689)	(236,074)	(1,434,778)				(2,481)	(955)	(1,702)				(452,898)	(56,813)	(1,288,465)		489,781	61,469	1,280,207			(617,287)	(232,373)	(1,444,738)			(663,914)	(243,999)	(1,433,667)		663,921	244,020	1,433,398			(617,280)	(232,352)	(1,445,007)
Income tax expense (benefit)														46,637	12,038	(11,437)					12,232	7,946	(1,380)				187	43	(15)				34,215	3,658	(9,945)		0	0	0			46,634	11,647	(11,340)			3	391	(97)		0	0	0			46,637	12,038	(11,437)
Net (loss) income	(187,846)	(467,646)	1,089	(9,514)	(2,035)	(260,408)	31,144	(13,091)	(1,128,725)	(394,926)	63,127	26,954		(663,917)	(244,390)	(1,433,570)					(663,921)	(244,020)	(1,433,398)				(2,668)	(998)	(1,687)				(487,113)	(60,471)	(1,278,520)		489,781	61,469	1,280,207			(663,921)	(244,020)	(1,433,398)			(663,917)	(244,390)	(1,433,570)		663,921	244,020	1,433,398			(663,917)	(244,390)	(1,433,570)
Net change in unrecognized loss on interest rate swaps, net of tax														(1,799)	(2,619)	(13,646)					6,099	4,923	(5,189)				0	0	0				0	0	0		0	0	0			6,099	4,923	(5,189)			6,099	4,923	(5,189)		(6,099)	(4,923)	5,189			6,099	4,923	(5,189)
Foreign currency translation loss														(670)	(527)	(658)					(670)	(527)	(658)				0	0	0				(670)	(527)	(658)		670	527	658			(670)	(527)	(658)			(670)	(527)	(658)		670	527	658			(670)	(527)	(658)
Other comprehensive income (loss)														5,429	4,396	(5,847)					5,429	4,396	(5,847)				0	0	0				(670)	(527)	(658)		670	527	658			5,429	4,396	(5,847)			5,429	4,396	(5,847)		(5,429)	(4,396)	5,847			5,429	4,396	(5,847)
Other comprehensive income (loss)														(658,488)	(239,994)	(1,439,417)					(658,492)	(239,624)	(1,439,245)				(2,668)	(998)	(1,687)				(487,783)	(60,998)	(1,279,178)		490,451	61,996	1,280,865			(658,492)	(239,624)	(1,439,245)			(658,488)	(239,994)	(1,439,417)		658,492	239,624	1,439,245			(658,488)	(239,994)	(1,439,417)
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operations														70,646	191,307	(10,850)					(105,944)	(168,316)	(35,071)				(2,505)	(5,632)	4,015				179,091	365,231	17,140							70,642	191,283	(13,916)			4	24	3,066							70,646	191,307	(10,850)
Expenditures for long-lived assets														(73,760)	(83,241)	(93,546)					(11,490)	(10,297)	(10,373)				(997)	(947)	(1,127)				(61,273)	(71,997)	(82,046)							(73,760)	(83,241)	(93,546)			0	0	0							(73,760)	(83,241)	(93,546)
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets														9,565	65,065	0				0	0					0	0					65,065	9,565								65,065	9,565													65,065	9,565
Other investing activities														(2,457)	(10,054)	(15,307)					0	(858)	(375)				0	0	0				(2,457)	(6,778)	(14,932)							(2,457)	(7,636)	(15,307)			0	0	0							(2,457)	(7,636)	(15,307)
Net cash flows used in investing activities														(66,652)	(25,812)	(108,853)					(11,490)	(11,155)	(10,748)				(997)	(947)	(1,127)				(54,165)	(13,710)	(96,978)							(66,652)	(25,812)	(108,853)			0	0	0							(66,652)	(25,812)	(108,853)
Net borrowings of debt and other																					133,065	(225,406)	9,610				0	0	0				(226)	(234)	(263)							132,839	(225,640)	9,347			0	3	0							132,839	(225,637)	9,347
Share-based payment activity														2,968	3	2,355			0				0		0				0		0				0					0				0		3,113			(101,455)					3,113				(101,455)
Intercompany transactions																					(19,534)	420,349	26,776				3,446	6,620	(3,060)				(31,258)	(423,966)	(75,171)							(47,346)	3,003	(51,455)			47,346	(3,003)	51,455							0	0	0
Net cash flows used in financing activities														135,952	(225,637)	(92,108)					113,531	194,943	36,386				3,446	6,620	(3,060)				(31,484)	(424,200)	(75,434)							85,493	(222,637)	(42,108)			50,459	(3,000)	(50,000)							135,952	(225,637)	(92,108)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents														(74)	(171)	(405)					0	0	0				0	0	0				(74)	(171)	(405)							(74)	(171)	(405)			0	0	0							(74)	(171)	(405)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents														$ 139,872	$ (60,313)	$ (212,216)					$ (3,903)	$ 15,472	$ (9,433)				$ (56)	$ 41	$ (172)				$ 93,368	$ (72,850)	$ (155,677)							$ 89,409	$ (57,337)	$ (165,282)			$ 50,463	$ (2,976)	$ (46,934)							$ 139,872	$ (60,313)	$ (212,216)