Property and Equipment, Net (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	$ 1,158,755,000	$ 1,177,383,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(723,022,000)	(704,769,000)
Property and equipment, net	435,733,000	472,614,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(42,401,000)	(33,301,000)
Capital lease assets, net	24,397,000	40,096,000
Depreciation expense	135,800,000	196,700,000	158,000,000
Long-lived asset impairments		20,400,000
Restructuring Charges [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Long-lived asset impairments		12,200,000
Land [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	30,540,000	30,562,000
Buildings [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	62,970,000	62,852,000
Furniture and equipment [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	388,397,000	428,441,000
Capital lease assets	48,024,000	53,826,000
Leasehold improvements (includes tenant improvement allowances) [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	357,645,000	353,548,000
Software [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	139,376,000	128,746,000
Capital lease assets	14,264,000	14,264,000
Internally developed software [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	139,325,000	121,137,000
Depreciation expense	20,100,000	12,100,000	10,100,000
Construction in progress [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Gross property and equipment	40,502,000	52,097,000
Building and land [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Capital lease assets	4,510,000	5,307,000
Lease and related costs, net [Member] | University Of Phoenix [Member]
Property and equipment [Line Items]
Accelerated depreciation	$ 7,600,000	$ 50,100,000