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Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details) | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Jan. 31, 2018 entity | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) country entity | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) country entity | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  | $ 951,189,000 | $ 818,601,000 | $ 1,017,108,000 | $ 598,978,000 | $ 894,416,000 | $ 770,833,000 | $ 978,493,000 | $ 658,122,000 | $ 3,385,876,000 | $ 3,301,864,000 | $ 3,399,774,000
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 320,567,000 |  |  |  | 295,785,000 |  |  |  | $ 320,567,000 | 295,785,000 |
Receivables deemed uncollectible, period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax expense |  | 28,879,000 | $ (36,309,000) | $ 33,943,000 | $ 46,413,000 | 14,829,000 | $ (39,268,000) | $ 23,698,000 | $ 34,187,000 | $ 72,926,000 | 33,446,000 | 8,354,000
Deferred online course development costs |  | 57,995,000 |  |  |  | 52,510,000 |  |  |  | 57,995,000 | 52,510,000 |
Deferred accreditation costs |  | 2,936,000 |  |  |  | 2,472,000 |  |  |  | 2,936,000 | 2,472,000 |
Deferred costs, gross |  | 164,552,000 |  |  |  | 146,087,000 |  |  |  | 164,552,000 | 146,087,000 |
Accumulated amortization of deferred costs |  | (103,621,000) |  |  |  | (91,105,000) |  |  |  | (103,621,000) | (91,105,000) |
Unamortized balances of deferred financing costs |  | 105,299,000 |  |  |  | 42,184,000 |  |  |  | 105,299,000 | 42,184,000 |
Advertising costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 222,724,000 | 221,482,000 | 226,659,000
Restricted cash included in operating cash inflows (outflows) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,824,000 | (7,686,000) | (932,000)
Restricted cash included in investing cash outflows |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (39,848,000) | (28,063,000) | (15,452,000)
Cumulative effect of adoption to retained earnings |  | (946,236,000) |  |  |  | (1,037,701,000) |  |  |  | (946,236,000) | (1,037,701,000) |
Accounting Standards Update 2015-17 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Decrease in current deferred tax assets |  |  |  |  |  | 101,500,000 |  |  |  |  | 101,500,000 |
Decrease in current deferred tax liabilities |  |  |  |  |  | 5,300,000 |  |  |  |  | 5,300,000 |
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Pro Forma | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cumulative effect of adoption to retained earnings |  | $ 2,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,000,000 |  |
Chile |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 617,213,000 | 564,592,000 | 536,530,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated entities (entity) | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 |  |
Number of countries with variable interest entities (country) | country |  | 8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 123,237,000 | 113,276,000 | 106,005,000
Cash and cash equivalents |  | $ 100,971,000 |  |  |  | $ 72,540,000 |  |  |  | 100,971,000 | 72,540,000 |
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30,145 | 29,724 | 6,627
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Chile |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | $ 101,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 101,000,000 |  |
Number of entities with cash balances (entity) | entity |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of VIE entities sold (entity) | entity | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Central America & U.S. Campuses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-operating investment income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 11,696,000 | $ 11,061,000 | $ 10,297,000
Continuing Operations | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated entities (entity) | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 |  |
Discontinued Operations | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated entities (entity) | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 |  |

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