Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies - Summary of Amounts Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 74,943	$ 79,569
Less: Current portion of due to shareholders of acquired companies	35,431	40,140
Due to shareholders of acquired companies, less current portion	39,512	39,429
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies		45,206
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil) | Related Party Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 45,955
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil) | Certificados de Depósitos Interbancários (CDI) | Related Party Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.00%
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) | Related Party Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	7.00%
Monash South Africa (MSA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 9,626	9,571
Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana (UNITEC Honduras)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,447	3,813
Faculdade Porto-Alegrense (FAPA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,123	3,084
IADE Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 1,242	2,374
IADE Group | Related Party Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	3.00%
CH Holding Netherlands B.V. (CH Holding)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 0	$ 3,971