Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Organization 2U, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) is a leading provider of education technology for nonprofit colleges and universities. The Company builds, delivers, and supports more than 400 digital and in-person educational offerings, including graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, professional certificates, boot camps, and short courses, across the career curriculum continuum. The Company has two reportable segments: the Graduate Program Segment and the Alternative Credential Segment (formerly known as the Short Course Segment). The Company’s Graduate Program Segment includes the technology and services provided to nonprofit colleges and universities to enable the online delivery of degree programs. Students enrolled in these programs are generally seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree of the same quality they would receive on campus. The Company’s Alternative Credential Segment includes the premium online short courses and technical, skills-based boot camps provided through relationships with nonprofit colleges and universities. Students enrolled in these offerings are generally working professionals seeking career advancement through skills attainment. On May 22, 2019, the Company completed its acquisition of Trilogy Education Services, Inc. (“Trilogy”), a workforce accelerator that prepares adult learners for high-growth careers in the digital economy through its boot camp offerings. The acquisition expanded the Company’s university client portfolio and added another offering on the career curriculum continuum to make education more accessible for lifelong learners. The results of Trilogy’s operations are included in the Alternative Credential Segment. Refer to Note 3 for further information about the acquisition of Trilogy.

2U, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) is a leading provider of education technology for nonprofit colleges and universities. The Company builds, delivers, and supports more than 400 digital and in-person educational offerings, including graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, professional certificates, boot camps, and short courses, across the career curriculum continuum.

The Company has two reportable segments: the Graduate Program Segment and the Alternative Credential Segment (formerly known as the Short Course Segment). The Company’s Graduate Program Segment includes the technology and services provided to nonprofit colleges and universities to enable the online delivery of degree programs. Students enrolled in these programs are generally seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree of the same quality they would receive on campus. The Company’s Alternative Credential Segment includes the premium online short courses and technical, skills-based boot camps provided through relationships with nonprofit colleges and universities. Students enrolled in these offerings are generally working professionals seeking career advancement through skills attainment.

On May 22, 2019, the Company completed its acquisition of Trilogy Education Services, Inc. (“Trilogy”), a workforce accelerator that prepares adult learners for high-growth careers in the digital economy through its boot camp offerings. The acquisition expanded the Company’s university client portfolio and added another offering on the career curriculum continuum to make education more accessible for lifelong learners. The results of Trilogy’s operations are included in the Alternative Credential Segment. Refer to Note 3 for further information about the acquisition of Trilogy.