Debt - Summary of Senior Unsecured Notes (Details) - AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020
Unsecured notes, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 2,000,000,000
Original Issue Discount		4,216,000
Senior notes - April 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 400,000,000
% of Par Value		99.659%
Coupon (percent)		3.75%
Yield (percent)		3.791%
Original Issue Discount		$ 1,364,000
Debt Instrument, Term		10 years
Senior notes - June 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 400,000,000
% of Par Value		99.861%
Coupon (percent)		4.125%
Yield (percent)		4.269%
Original Issue Discount		$ 556,000
Debt Instrument, Term		10 years
Senior notes - October 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 400,000,000
% of Par Value		99.912%
Coupon (percent)		3.625%
Yield (percent)		3.635%
Original Issue Discount		$ 352,000
Debt Instrument, Term		10 years
Senior Notes - June 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 400,000,000
% of Par Value		99.704%
Coupon (percent)		3.30%
Yield (percent)		3.68%
Original Issue Discount		$ 1,184,000
Debt Instrument, Term		7 years
Senior Notes - January 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount	$ 400,000,000	$ 400,000,000
% of Par Value	99.81%	99.81%
Coupon (percent)	2.85%	2.85%
Yield (percent)		2.872%
Original Issue Discount		$ 760,000
Debt Instrument, Term		10 years