Commitments and Contingencies - Standby Letters of Credit, Surety Bonds and Other Commitments (Details) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended
	Oct. 12, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Surety Bond
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Guarantee amount, maximum potential amount of payments			$ 13,980,000	$ 12,162,000
Cash Collateralized Letter Of Credit - Spain Tax Audits
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount			39,236,000	34,746,000
Non-Collateralized Surety Bond - UAM Brazil | Surety Bond
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Guarantee amount, maximum potential amount of payments		$ 15,300,000
Cost of surety bond		$ 1,400,000
Guarantor obligation, term		P5Y
Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required increase to remain a financially responsible institution, percent	50.00%
Required to be increase to amount, to remain a financially responsible institution	$ 456,293,000
Required percentage of increase in outstanding amount	15.00%
Required to be increase to amount, to remain provisionally certified	$ 136,888,000
Minimum required period to remain provisionally certified	3 years
Kendall College, St. Augustine, Walden University, and NewSchool of Architecture and Design
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount			$ 105,600,000	$ 105,600,000