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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Details) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) subsidiary | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated goodwill impairment losses | $ 159,895 | $ 159,895 |
Amortization expense for intangible assets | 12,079 | 12,526 | $ 20,430
Estimated future amortization expense, 2018 | 6,200 |  |
Estimated future amortization expense, 2019 | 3,744 |  |
Estimated future amortization expense, 2020 | 3,124 |  |
Estimated future amortization expense, 2021 | 2,877 |  |
Estimated future amortization expense, 2022 | 2,562 |  |
Estimated future amortization expense, thereafter | 17,420 |  |
Impairments of long-lived assets | 28,992 | 0 | 0
Long-lived assets | 1,934,904 | 2,151,633 |
Impairments | 0 | 23,465 | 0
Central America & U.S. Campuses |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated goodwill impairment losses | 96,754 | 96,754 |
Long-lived assets | 0 |  |
Impairments | 0 | 0 | 0
EMEAA |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated goodwill impairment losses | 63,141 | 63,141 |
Long-lived assets | 0 |  |
Impairments | 0 | 23,465 | 0
EMEAA | Monash South Africa (MSA) |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Impairments |  | 19,302 |
EMEAA | Germany |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Impairments |  | 4,163 |
Tradenames |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Total impairments of tradenames | 8,532 | 0 | 0
Tradenames | Central America & U.S. Campuses |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Total impairments of tradenames | 5,443 | 0 | 0
Impairment of long-lived assets to be disposed of | 12,000 |  |
Tradenames | EMEAA |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Total impairments of tradenames | 3,089 | $ 0 | $ 0
Impairment of long-lived assets to be disposed of | $ 13,000 |  |
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Central America & U.S. Campuses |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of subsidiaries with impaired long-lived assets (subsidiary) | subsidiary | 2 |  |

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- Definition The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
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