Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2013		Nov. 30, 2012
Balance	$ 1,118,009,000		$ 924,323,000
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	796,000		1,113,000
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	(4,838,000)		(4,823,000)
Share-based compensation	11,973,000		16,889,000
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	2,835,000	[1]	759,000	[1]
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			(48,500,000)
Net income	99,041,000		133,740,000
Balance	1,210,945,000		1,020,029,000
Net income attributable to Apollo	98,891,000		133,495,000
Change from net income attributable to Apollo and transfer to noncontrolling interest	98,891,000		84,952,000
Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member]
Treasury stock purchases	(16,871,000)
Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member] | Repurchases Related To Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Treasury stock purchases	(1,900,000)		(3,472,000)
Common stock [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member]
Balance	103,000		103,000
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	0		0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			0
Net income	0		0
Balance	103,000		103,000
Common stock [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class B voting common stock [Member]
Balance	1,000		1,000
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	0		0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			0
Net income	0		0
Balance	1,000		1,000
Additional paid-in capital [Member]
Balance	0		93,770,000
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	(1,286,000)		(936,000)
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	(5,849,000)
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			(15,046,000)
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	(4,838,000)		(4,823,000)
Share-based compensation	11,973,000		16,889,000
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	0		0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0		(48,543,000)
Net income	0		0
Balance	0		41,311,000
Apollo Education Group Class A treasury stock [Member]
Balance	(3,824,758,000)		(3,878,612,000)
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	2,082,000		2,049,000
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	9,587,000
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			15,046,000
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	0		0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			0
Net income	0		0
Balance	(3,829,960,000)		(3,864,989,000)
Apollo Education Group Class A treasury stock [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member]
Treasury stock purchases	(16,871,000)
Apollo Education Group Class A treasury stock [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member] | Repurchases Related To Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Treasury stock purchases			(3,472,000)
Retained earnings [Member]
Balance	4,978,815,000		4,743,150,000
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	(3,738,000)
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	0		0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			0
Net income	98,891,000		133,495,000
Balance	5,073,968,000		4,876,645,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss [Member]
Balance	(36,563,000)		(30,034,000)
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	2,736,000		732,000
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			(4,886,000)
Net income	0		0
Balance	(33,827,000)		(34,188,000)
Total Apollo shareholders' equity [Member]
Balance	1,117,598,000		928,378,000
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	796,000		1,113,000
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	(4,838,000)		(4,823,000)
Share-based compensation	11,973,000		16,889,000
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	2,736,000		732,000
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			(53,429,000)
Net income	98,891,000		133,495,000
Balance	1,210,285,000		1,018,883,000
Total Apollo shareholders' equity [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member]
Treasury stock purchases	(16,871,000)
Total Apollo shareholders' equity [Member] | Apollo Education Group Class A nonvoting common stock [Member] | Repurchases Related To Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Treasury stock purchases			(3,472,000)
Noncontrolling interests (deficit) [Member]
Balance	411,000		(4,055,000)
Treasury stock purchases	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock purchase plans	0		0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans	0
Treasury stock issued under stock incentive plans			0
Net tax effect for stock incentive plans	0		0
Share-based compensation	0		0
Currency translation adjustment, net of tax	99,000		27,000
Purchase of noncontrolling interest			(4,929,000)
Net income	150,000		245,000
Balance	$ 660,000		$ 1,146,000

[1] The tax effect on other comprehensive income during the three months ended November 30, 2013 and 2012 is not significant.