Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Apollo Education 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 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 22, 2013. We consistently applied the accounting policies described in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, in our 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K in preparing these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

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 six months ended February 28, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire fiscal year.

Reclassifications

During fiscal year 2013, we began presenting amortization of deferred gains on sale-leasebacks and amortization of lease incentives as a component of the change in accrued and other liabilities on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. We have reclassified the six months ended February 28, 2013 to conform to our current presentation, which did not impact total cash provided by operating activities.