Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
May 31, 2012
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Apollo Group, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and subsidiaries that we control. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly present the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and note disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for annual financial statements. Therefore, this information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 20, 2011. We consistently applied the accounting policies described in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K in preparing these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and we believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Our fiscal year is from September 1 to August 31. Unless otherwise noted, references to particular years or quarters refer to our fiscal years and the associated quarters of those fiscal years. Our operations are generally subject to seasonal trends. We experience, and expect to continue to experience, fluctuations in our results of operations as a result of seasonal variations in the level of our institutions’ enrollments. Although University of Phoenix enrolls students throughout the year, its net revenue is generally lower in our second fiscal quarter (December through February) than the other quarters due to holiday breaks. Because of the seasonal nature of our business and other factors, the results of operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire fiscal year. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Issued Accounting Pronouncement In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-08, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (“ASU 2011-08”), which simplifies how an entity tests goodwill for impairment. The standard permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. Accordingly, an entity will no longer be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit in the step one test unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We early adopted ASU 2011-08 on September 1, 2011 for our fiscal year 2012 goodwill impairment tests. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures. Future Accounting Pronouncements The FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) are working on joint convergence projects to address accounting differences between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) in order to support their commitment to achieve a single set of high-quality global accounting standards. Some of the most significant projects on the FASB and IASB’s agenda include accounting for leases, revenue recognition and financial instruments, among other items. Both the FASB and IASB have issued final guidance for certain accounting topics and are currently redeliberating guidance in other areas. The converged guidance that the FASB has already issued addressing fair value measurements, financial instrument disclosures and the statement of other comprehensive income is not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures. While we anticipate the lease accounting and revenue recognition proposals will have the greatest impact on us if enacted, the FASB’s standard-setting process is ongoing and until new standards have been finalized and issued, we cannot determine the impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures that may result from any such future changes. Concurrent with these convergence projects, the Securities and Exchange Commission is considering incorporating IFRS into the U.S. financial reporting system. At this time, the method and timing of potential conversion to IFRS is uncertain and cannot be determined until final conversion requirements are mandated. The potential preparation of our financial statements in accordance with IFRS could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and disclosures.

Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Apollo Group, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and subsidiaries that we control. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly present the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.

These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and note disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for annual financial statements. Therefore, this information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 20, 2011. We consistently applied the accounting policies described in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, in our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K in preparing these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and we believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading.

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Our fiscal year is from September 1 to August 31. Unless otherwise noted, references to particular years or quarters refer to our fiscal years and the associated quarters of those fiscal years.

Our operations are generally subject to seasonal trends. We experience, and expect to continue to experience, fluctuations in our results of operations as a result of seasonal variations in the level of our institutions’ enrollments. Although University of Phoenix enrolls students throughout the year, its net revenue is generally lower in our second fiscal quarter (December through February) than the other quarters due to holiday breaks. Because of the seasonal nature of our business and other factors, the results of operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire fiscal year.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Issued Accounting Pronouncement

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-08, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (“ASU 2011-08”), which simplifies how an entity tests goodwill for impairment. The standard permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. Accordingly, an entity will no longer be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit in the step one test unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. We early adopted ASU 2011-08 on September 1, 2011 for our fiscal year 2012 goodwill impairment tests. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures.

Future Accounting Pronouncements

The FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) are working on joint convergence projects to address accounting differences between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) in order to support their commitment to achieve a single set of high-quality global accounting standards. Some of the most significant projects on the FASB and IASB’s agenda include accounting for leases, revenue recognition and financial instruments, among other items. Both the FASB and IASB have issued final guidance for certain accounting topics and are currently redeliberating guidance in other areas. The converged guidance that the FASB has already issued addressing fair value measurements, financial instrument disclosures and the statement of other comprehensive income is not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures. While we anticipate the lease accounting and revenue recognition proposals will have the greatest impact on us if enacted, the FASB’s standard-setting process is ongoing and until new standards have been finalized and issued, we cannot determine the impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures that may result from any such future changes.

Concurrent with these convergence projects, the Securities and Exchange Commission is considering incorporating IFRS into the U.S. financial reporting system. At this time, the method and timing of potential conversion to IFRS is uncertain and cannot be determined until final conversion requirements are mandated. The potential preparation of our financial statements in accordance with IFRS could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and disclosures.