Changes in Presentation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2011	May 31, 2011	Feb. 28, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010	Aug. 31, 2010	May 31, 2010	Feb. 28, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009	Aug. 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010	Aug. 31, 2009
Changes in Presentation [Line Items]
Instructional and student advisory	$ 438,486	$ 458,145	$ 421,644	$ 455,812	$ 445,301	$ 441,700	$ 415,458	$ 430,675	$ 1,774,087	$ 1,733,134	$ 1,333,919
Marketing	170,970	161,034	157,215	166,143	179,150	151,668	141,308	151,617	655,362	623,743	497,568
Admissions advisory	99,428	99,923	102,283	113,752	116,591	116,344	118,152	115,271	415,386	466,358	437,908
General and administrative	98,676	87,857	84,344	84,874	86,295	75,362	68,800	70,659	355,751	301,116	277,887
Provision for uncollectible accounts receivable	39,631	39,217	45,540	56,909	74,035	72,011	73,884	62,698	181,297	282,628	151,021
Depreciation and amortization	41,637	41,125	39,142	37,102	38,939	36,701	35,244	34,680	159,006	145,564	108,828
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment	0	0	219,927	0	175,858	8,712	0	0	219,927	184,570	0
Litigation (credit) charge, net	(16,454)	2,048	1,574	881	882	132,600	44,500	0	(11,951)	177,982	80,500
Total costs and expenses	891,441	889,349	1,071,669	919,319	1,117,051	1,035,098	897,346	865,600	3,771,778	3,915,095	2,887,631
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents									64,725	(11,828)	(48,149)
Net cash provided by operating activities									897,122	1,033,242	912,078
Collateralization of letter of credit									126,615	(126,615)	0
Net cash used in investing activities									164,311	(295,289)	(643,116)
As Reported [Member]
Changes in Presentation [Line Items]
Instructional and student advisory										2,125,082	1,567,754
Marketing										1,112,666	952,884
Admissions advisory										0	0
General and administrative										314,795	286,493
Provision for uncollectible accounts receivable										0	0
Depreciation and amortization										0	0
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment										184,570	0
Litigation (credit) charge, net										177,982	80,500
Total costs and expenses										3,915,095	2,887,631
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents										0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities										1,045,070	960,227
Collateralization of letter of credit										(138,443)	(48,149)
Net cash used in investing activities										(307,117)	(691,265)
As Changed [Member]
Changes in Presentation [Line Items]
Instructional and student advisory										1,733,134	1,333,919
Marketing										623,743	497,568
Admissions advisory										466,358	437,908
General and administrative										301,116	277,887
Provision for uncollectible accounts receivable										282,628	151,021
Depreciation and amortization										145,564	108,828
Goodwill and other intangibles impairment										184,570	0
Litigation (credit) charge, net										177,982	80,500
Total costs and expenses										3,915,095	2,887,631
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents										(11,828)	(48,149)
Net cash provided by operating activities										1,033,242	912,078
Collateralization of letter of credit										(126,615)	0
Net cash used in investing activities										$ (295,289)	$ (643,116)