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Nature of Business | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Nature of Business | 1. Nature of Business Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “University”) was formed in Delaware in November 2003 as a limited liability company, under the name Significant Education, LLC, for the purpose of acquiring the assets of Grand Canyon University from a non-profit foundation on February 2, 2004. On August 24, 2005, the University converted from a limited liability company to a corporation and changed its name to Significant Education, Inc. On May 9, 2008, the University changed its name to Grand Canyon Education, Inc. The University is a regionally accredited provider of postsecondary education services focused on offering graduate and undergraduate degree programs in its core disciplines of education, healthcare, business and liberal arts. The University offers courses online, on ground at its approximately 115 acre traditional ground campus in Phoenix, Arizona and onsite at facilities it leases and at facilities owned by third party employers. The University’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are primarily used to facilitate expansion of the University campus. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

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