Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Aug. 31, 2016
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 484,499	$ 586,021
Operating income (loss)	8,404	(45,249)
Interest income	1,087	919
Interest expense	(1,425)	(1,456)
Other loss, net	(644)	(843)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	7,422	(46,629)
Goodwill impairments	0	73,393
Total assets	1,955,243		$ 2,012,906
University Of Phoenix [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	354,294	462,617
Operating income (loss)	32,550	(17,504)
Goodwill impairments		71,800
Total assets	609,546		599,790
Apollo Global [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	121,246	115,332
Operating income (loss)	(3,643)	(2,335)
Total assets	690,169		704,207
Other [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	8,959	8,072
Operating income (loss)	(20,503)	$ (25,410)
Total assets	$ 655,528		$ 708,909