Commitments and Contingencies - Aggregate Amount of Guarantee Payments, Discharge Payments and Payments on Behalf of Borrowers (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments on Behalf of Borrowers	$ 0esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers	$ 2,502esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers	$ 1,832esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers	$ 7,647esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers
Total	54,326esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet	3,098esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet	100,706esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet	9,762esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet
PEAKS Program [Member]
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
PEAKS Guarantee	52,517	138	94,318	1,377
Payments on Behalf of Borrowers	0	2,502	1,832	7,647
2009 RSA [Member]
Schedule of Claims and Contingencies [Line Items]
Regular Payments	1,809	458	4,556	841
Discharge Payments	0	0	0	0
Recoveries from Charged-Off Loans	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (103)

The amount of the guarantee and other payments made by the entity related to the private education loan programs.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeAndOtherPaymentsNet
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made to third parties to discharge outstanding balances under guarantee obligations.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeObligationsDischargePayments
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Regular Payments made to third parties under guarantee obligations.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteeObligationsRegularPayments
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made under the Guarantee related to the PEAKS Program.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_GuaranteePaymentsRelatedToPEAKSProgram
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Payments made on behalf of borrowers related to the PEAKS Program.

No definition available.

Name:	esi_PaymentsOnBehalfOfBorrowers
Namespace Prefix:	esi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	esi_ScheduleOfClaimsAndContingenciesLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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The cash inflow from loans reinstated and recovered that were previously deemed uncollectible.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromRecoveriesOfLoanPreviouslyChargedOff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=esi_PeaksProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=esi_TwoThousandNineRiskShareAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: