Fair Value Measurements (Details) $ in Thousands, € in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 EUR (€)
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration				$ 0		$ 0
Balance				0		0
Initial contingent consideration at fair value					$ 0		$ 0
Change in fair value included in net income		$ 973			154	897	(843)
Payment for contingent consideration		0			0	0
Currency translation adjustment		153			0	213	0
Losses for period		22,366	$ 26,877	24,430	11,444	73,673	46,772
Career Partner GmbH [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		11,500				11,500		$ 11,500
Initial contingent consideration at fair value	$ 10,700	0				10,717
Balance		11,500				11,500
Contingent consideration maximum								12,300	€ 11
Open Colleges [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Payment for contingent consideration							(34,480)
Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		19,326		7,499		7,499		19,326
Balance				7,499		7,499
Balance		19,326				19,326
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Initial lease obligations								24,275
Losses for period						24,275
Level 1 [Member] | Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		0		0		0		0
Balance				0		0
Balance		0				0
Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Initial lease obligations								0
Level 2 [Member] | Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		0		0		0		0
Balance				0		0
Balance		0				0
Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Initial lease obligations								0
Level 3 [Member] | Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		18,200	18,200	7,499	6,416	7,499	41,893	19,326
Balance		18,200		$ 7,499	6,416	7,499	41,893
Balance		19,326	$ 18,200		$ 6,570	19,326	$ 6,570
Level 3 [Member] | Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Noncontrolling Interest in Apollo Global [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		7,800				7,800		7,800
Balance		7,800				7,800
Level 3 [Member] | Recurring Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Career Partner GmbH [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Contingent consideration		11,500				11,500		11,500
Balance		$ 11,500				$ 11,500
Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis [Line Items]
Initial lease obligations								$ 24,275