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Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) country entity | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) country entity | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues | $ 913,710,000 | $ 787,102,000 | $ 1,017,196,000 | $ 632,216,000 | $ 951,189,000 | $ 818,601,000 | $ 1,017,108,000 | $ 598,978,000 | $ 3,350,224,000 | $ 3,385,876,000 | $ 3,301,864,000 |
Cash and cash equivalents | 388,490,000 |  |  |  | 320,567,000 |  |  |  | $ 388,490,000 | 320,567,000 | 295,785,000 |
Receivables deemed uncollectible, period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |  |
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax | 56,621,000 | $ (34,466,000) | $ 38,072,000 | $ 18,853,000 | 28,879,000 | $ (36,309,000) | $ 33,943,000 | $ 46,413,000 | $ 79,080,000 | 72,926,000 | 33,446,000 |
Deferred online course development costs | 57,065,000 |  |  |  | 57,995,000 |  |  |  | 57,065,000 | 57,995,000 |  |
Deferred accreditation costs | 2,734,000 |  |  |  | 2,936,000 |  |  |  | 2,734,000 | 2,936,000 |  |
Deferred costs, gross | 184,855,000 |  |  |  | 164,552,000 |  |  |  | 184,855,000 | 164,552,000 |  |
Accumulated amortization of deferred costs | (118,020,000) |  |  |  | (103,621,000) |  |  |  | (118,020,000) | (103,621,000) |  |
Unamortized balances of deferred financing costs | 88,241,000 |  |  |  | 105,299,000 |  |  |  | 88,241,000 | 105,299,000 |  |
Advertising costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 232,317,000 | 222,724,000 | 221,482,000 |
Cumulative effect of adoption to retained earnings | (530,919,000) |  |  |  | (946,236,000) |  |  |  | (530,919,000) | (946,236,000) |  |
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 396,858,000 | 192,157,000 | 192,256,000 |
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Continuing Operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 115,494,000 | (284,682,000) | 297,297,000 |
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |
Cumulative effect of adoption to retained earnings | 6,697,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,697,000 |  |  | $ 1,400,000
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 |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-15 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (65,000,000) |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-16 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cumulative effect of adoption to retained earnings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 44,000,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-18 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4,000) | 8,000 |
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Continuing Operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39,848,000 | 28,000 |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contract cost, amortization period | 2 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contract cost, amortization period | 4 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 years |  |  |
Peru |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Undistributed foreign earnings | $ 2,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,500,000 |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 493,008,000 | 450,719,000 | 389,815,000 |
Chile |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 654,002,000 | 617,213,000 | 564,592,000 |
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated entities (entity) | entity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11 |  |  |
Number of countries with variable interest entities (country) | country | 7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 100,227,000 | 123,237,000 | 113,276,000 |
Cash and cash equivalents | $ 158,387,000 |  |  |  | 100,971,000 |  |  |  | 158,387,000 | 100,971,000 |  |
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 86,887,000 | 30,145,000 | 29,724,000 |
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Chile |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of entities with cash balances (entity) | entity | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Central America & U.S. Campuses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-operating investment income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 14,331,000 | 11,696,000 | $ 11,061,000 |
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |  |
Commission and Bonuses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Capitalized Contract Cost, Net | $ 7,036,000 |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |  | $ 7,036,000 | $ 0 |  |

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