Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2012 Segments	May 31, 2011	May 31, 2012 Segments	May 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting (Details) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	4		4
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 1,130,808	$ 1,235,837	$ 3,279,050	$ 3,610,901
Operating income (loss)	225,554	346,488	596,303	730,564
Interest income	219	867	1,085	2,635
Interest expense	(2,830)	(2,383)	(6,618)	(6,207)
Other, net	(402)	(1,862)	(44)	(1,603)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	222,541	343,110	590,726	725,389
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment	0	0	16,788	219,927
Assets	2,269,944		2,269,944		3,269,706
University Of Phoenix [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	1,011,683	1,112,543	2,954,064	3,273,018
Operating income (loss)	241,210	356,259	673,990	995,332
Assets	993,873		993,873		1,016,005
Bpp Apollo Global [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	74,672	77,371	207,702	209,136
Operating income (loss)	11,978	14,449	15,684	(194,644)
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment				219,927
Assets	286,285		286,285		303,107
Apollo Global Other [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	22,224	22,864	58,745	60,002
Operating income (loss)	(7,884)	(5,158)	(43,715)	(25,009)
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment			16,788
Assets	111,551		111,551		146,490
Total Apollo Global [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	96,896	100,235	266,447	269,138
Operating income (loss)	4,094	9,291	(28,031)	(219,653)
Assets	397,836		397,836		449,597
Other Schools [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	20,016	23,038	56,326	67,233
Operating income (loss)	2,450	2,980	4,278	4,361
Assets	18,426		18,426		24,073
Corporate [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	2,213	21	2,213	1,512
Operating income (loss)	(22,200)	(22,042)	(53,934)	(49,476)
Assets	$ 859,809		$ 859,809		$ 1,780,031