Goodwill - Summary of Change in the Net Carrying Amount of Goodwill (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 2,094,359
Accumulated impairment loss		(159,895)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 1,934,464
Acquisitions	3,099
Dispositions	(488)
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	(32,330)
Currency translation adjustments	123,541
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	2,028,286
Brazil
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		501,055
Accumulated impairment loss		0
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	501,055
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	0
Currency translation adjustments	16,286
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	517,341
Mexico
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		480,985
Accumulated impairment loss		0
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	480,985
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	0
Currency translation adjustments	75,101
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	556,086
Andean & Iberian
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		297,519
Accumulated impairment loss		0
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	297,519
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	0
Currency translation adjustments	19,748
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	317,267
Central America & U.S. Campuses
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		154,759
Accumulated impairment loss		(96,754)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	58,005
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	0
Currency translation adjustments	0
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	58,005
EMEAA
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		200,254
Accumulated impairment loss		(63,141)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	137,113
Acquisitions	3,099
Dispositions	(488)
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	(32,330)
Currency translation adjustments	11,506
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	118,900
Online & Partnerships
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		459,787
Accumulated impairment loss		$ 0
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	459,787
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to Long-term assets held for sale	0
Currency translation adjustments	900
Adjustments to prior acquisitions	0
Balance, end of period	$ 460,687

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 16
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531572&loc=d3e961-128460

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