Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	$ 558,002	$ 676,358	$ 1,609,371	$ 1,965,986
Operating income (loss)	31,999	93,284	(94,066)	119,979
Interest income	1,041	762	2,883	2,091
Interest expense	(1,569)	(1,715)	(4,997)	(5,116)
Other loss, net	(273)	(2,038)	(2,229)	(4,480)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	31,198	90,293	(98,409)	112,474
Goodwill impairments	0	0	73,393	0
Total assets	2,037,626		2,037,626		$ 2,201,064
Merger, acquisition and other related costs (credit), net	$ (8,317)	455	$ (25,188)	(4,506)
University Of Phoenix [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Number of colleges	9		9
Net revenue	$ 424,479	560,692	$ 1,252,052	1,641,314
Operating income (loss)	59,681	103,395	33,099	216,776
Goodwill impairments			71,812
Total assets	596,440		596,440		648,755
Apollo Global [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	125,007	109,622	334,135	305,862
Operating income (loss)	(459)	5,465	(29,677)	(26,918)
Goodwill impairments			0
Total assets	714,248		714,248		588,434
Merger, acquisition and other related costs (credit), net	(600)	1,000	(3,800)	(1,700)
Other [Member]
Segment reporting [Line Items]
Net revenue	8,516	6,044	23,184	18,810
Operating income (loss)	(27,223)	(15,576)	(97,488)	(69,879)
Goodwill impairments			1,581
Total assets	726,938		726,938		$ 963,875
Merger, acquisition and other related costs (credit), net	$ (7,700)	$ (500)	$ (21,400)	$ (2,800)