Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies - Summary of Amounts Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 220,749	$ 210,948
Less: Current portion of due to shareholders of acquired companies	136,766	118,679
Due to shareholders of acquired companies, less current portion	83,983	92,269
Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas Educacionais (FMU)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	108,716	100,382
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	56,141	52,043
Monash South Africa (MSA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 29,728	27,462
Monash South Africa (MSA) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	6.75%
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, LLC (St. Augustine)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 11,550	11,550
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, LLC (St. Augustine) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	7.00%
CH Holding Netherlands B.V. (CH Holding)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 4,871	5,196
Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana (UNITEC Honduras)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,712	8,587
Faculdade-Porto-Alegrense (FAPA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,177	2,973
IADE Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 2,854	$ 2,755
IADE Group | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	3.00%
Certificados de Depósitos Interbancários (CDI) | Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.00%