Table of Contents

​

​

​

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

​

FORM 10-K

​

Adtalem Global Education Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

​

​

Registrant’s telephone number; including area code (866) 374-2678

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

​

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No ◻

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ◻ No þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes þ No ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

​

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ◻ No þ

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of December 31, 2020, was $1,698,122,114 based on the closing price of $33.95 per share of Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

As of August 12, 2021, there were 49,620,608 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part III incorporates information by reference to the registrant’s definitive proxy statement, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the close of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.

​

​

​

Adtalem Global Education Inc.

Form 10-K

Table of Contents

​

​

​

Table of Contents

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact, which includes statements regarding the future impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, and the efficacy and distribution of the vaccines. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by words such as “future,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “can,” “continue,” “preliminary,” “range,” and similar terms. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors,” which should be read in conjunction with the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date any such statements are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, Adtalem Global Education Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is collectively referred to as “Adtalem,” “we,” “our,” “us,” or similar references. Adtalem was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in August 1987. Adtalem’s executive offices are located at 500 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60661, and the telephone number is (866) 374-2678.

Adtalem is a leading workforce solutions provider. The purpose of Adtalem is to empower students and members to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem’s institutions and companies offer a wide array of programs across medical and healthcare and financial services.

 Adtalem’s vision is to create a dynamic global community of lifelong learners who improve the world. Adtalem aims to create value for society and its stakeholders by offering responsive educational programs that are supported by exceptional services to its students and delivered with integrity and accountability. Towards this vision, Adtalem is proud to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education along with other institutions in the public, independent, and private sectors.

Adtalem will continue to strive to achieve superior student outcomes by providing quality education and student services, growing and diversifying into new program areas and geographies, and building quality brands and the infrastructure necessary to compete in an increasingly competitive global market.

On August 12, 2021, Adtalem acquired all of the issued and outstanding equity interest in Walden e-Learning, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“e-Learning”), and its subsidiary, Walden University, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (together with e-Learning, “Walden”), from Laureate Education, Inc. (“Laureate” or “Seller”) in exchange for a purchase price of $1.48 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments set forth in the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, as amended (the “Agreement) (the “Acquisition”). See Note 22 “Subsequent Event” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for additional information.

Segments Overview

As of September 30, 2019, Adtalem eliminated its Business and Law reportable segment when Adtalem Education of Brazil (“Adtalem Brazil”) was classified as discontinued operations and assets held for sale. In addition to the sale of Adtalem Brazil, which was completed on April 24, 2020, during the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, Adtalem divested Carrington College (“Carrington”) and DeVry University. In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), we have classified the Adtalem Brazil, Carrington, and DeVry University entities as “Assets Held for Sale” and “Discontinued Operations” in all periods presented as applicable. As a result, all financial results, disclosures, and discussions of continuing operations in this Annual Report on Form 10-K exclude Adtalem Brazil, Carrington, and

1

Table of Contents

DeVry University operations, unless otherwise noted. See Note 4 “Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for additional discontinued operations information.

We present two reportable segments as follows:

Medical and Healthcare – Offers degree and non-degree programs in the medical and healthcare postsecondary education industry. This segment includes the operations of Chamberlain University (“Chamberlain”), American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (“AUC”), Ross University School of Medicine (“RUSM”), and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (“RUSVM”). AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM are collectively referred to as the “medical and veterinary schools.”

Financial Services – Offers test preparation, certifications, conferences, seminars, memberships, and subscriptions to business professionals in the areas of accounting, anti-money laundering, banking, and mortgage lending. This segment includes the operations of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (“ACAMS”), Becker Professional Education (“Becker”), OnCourse Learning (“OCL”), and EduPristine. On August 4, 2021, Adtalem announced we are exploring strategic alternatives for the Financial Services segment.

“Home Office and Other” includes activities not allocated to a reportable segment. Financial and descriptive information about Adtalem’s reportable segments is presented in Note 21 “Segment Information” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Medical and Healthcare

Chamberlain

Chamberlain was founded in 1889 as Deaconess College of Nursing and acquired by Adtalem in 2005. In May 2017, Chamberlain College of Nursing broadened its reach in healthcare education through the establishment of Chamberlain University and now offers its programs through its College of Nursing and College of Health Professions. Nursing degree offerings include a three-year onsite Bachelor of Science in Nursing (“BSN”) degree, an online Registered Nurse (“RN”) to BSN (“RN-to-BSN”) degree completion option, an online Master of Science in Nursing (“MSN”) degree, including Family Nurse Practitioner (“FNP”) and other specialties, and the online Doctor of Nursing Practice (“DNP”) degree.

Chamberlain offers an online Master of Public Health (“MPH”) degree program and an online Master of Social Work (“MSW”) degree program, which launched in July 2017 and September 2019, respectively, both of which are offered through its College of Health Professions.

Chamberlain provides an educational experience distinguished by a high level of care for students, academic excellence, and integrity delivered through its 23 campuses and online. Chamberlain is committed to graduating health professionals who are empowered to transform healthcare worldwide. Chamberlain had 34,930 students enrolled in the May 2021 session, an increase of 4.6% over the prior year.

Chamberlain’s pre-licensure BSN degree is a baccalaureate program offered at its campus locations as well as online in specific states. The BSN program enables students to complete their BSN degree in three years of full-time study as opposed to the typical four-year BSN program with summer breaks. Beginning in September 2019, Chamberlain also began offering an evening/weekend BSN option at select campuses. In September 2020, Chamberlain launched its online BSN option which offers a blend of flexibility, interactivity, and experiential learning. The program is available to students living in eleven states (Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). Chamberlain pre-licensure BSN students who completed the National Council Licensure Examination (“NCLEX”) had an overall pass rate of 91% in 2020 and 88% in 2019. The national NCLEX pass rate was 90% for 2020 and 91% for 2019.

Students who already have passed their NCLEX exam and achieved RN designation through a diploma or associate degree can complete their BSN degree online through Chamberlain’s RN-to-BSN completion option in three semesters of full-time study, although most students enroll part-time while they continue working as nurses.

2

Table of Contents

The online MSN degree program offers five non-direct-care specialty tracks: Educator, Executive, Informatics, Population Health, and Healthcare Policy. These programs require 36 credit hours and are designed to be completed in approximately two years of part-time study. Chamberlain also offers three direct-care nurse practitioner tracks: FNP, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (“AGACNP”), and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (“AGPCNP”). The FNP and AGPCNP programs require 45 credit hours along with 650 lab and clinical hours and are designed to be completed in two and a half years of part-time study. The AGPCNP and AGACNP programs launched in July 2020. Chamberlain also offers an accelerated MSN option that students can complete in 30 credit hours and receive a generalist degree.

The online DNP degree program is based on the eight essentials of doctoral education outlined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (“AACN”). The DNP program is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing and offers an alternative to research-focused Ph.D. programs. The program requires 32 to 40 credit hours along with 1,000 clinical practicum hours. The program can be completed in five to six semesters of study.

Chamberlain’s College of Health Professions MPH degree program focuses on preparing students to become public health practitioners to work with communities and populations globally to promote healthy communities and to prevent community health problems such as disease, poverty, health access disparities, and violence through interdisciplinary coursework. The program requires 43 credit hours. The MSW degree program aims to develop and empower students to be agents of social change in their communities and throughout the world. The MSW degree program prepares students for generalist or specialized practice and offers three specializations, including Crisis and Response Interventions, Trauma, and Medical Social Work. The program offers both a traditional and advanced standing option. The traditional option requires 60 credit hours while the advanced standing option requires 36 credit hours and is for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree in social work.

Student Admissions and Admissions Standards

Pre-Licensure BSN Program

The Chamberlain undergraduate pre-licensure admission process is made up of two phases: Academic Eligibility and Clinical Clearance. Applicants must meet both sets of requirements to be eligible for admission. Academic Eligibility requires proof of graduation with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 from a recognized high school or other college, along with a minimum custom score on the A2 Admission Assessment test. The admissions committee reviews each application and selects the most qualified candidates. Applicants who are deemed Academically Eligible must receive Clinical Clearance, which includes a background check, fingerprint screen, and drug screen for acceptance to be granted. Chamberlain enrolls students in its pre-licensure program at least three times per year, during the January, May, and September sessions and select campuses may offer additional opportunities to start.

RN-to-BSN Option

Admission to the RN-to-BSN option requires a nursing diploma or Associate Degree in Nursing from an accredited institution, a minimum grade point average of 2.0, and a current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or other jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (“NCSBN”). Chamberlain enrolls students in its RN-to-BSN program six times per year, during the January, March, May, July, September, and November sessions.

Graduate Programs

To enroll in the MSN program, a prospective student must possess a degree in nursing at the bachelor’s level or higher from an accredited institution, a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and a current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or other jurisdiction that is an associate member of the NCSBN. Provisional admission may be granted to students who have a grade point average of at least 2.75 but less than 3.0.

The DNP program requires a degree at the master’s level or higher from an accredited institution, a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and a current, active, unrestricted RN license in the U.S. or other jurisdiction that is an associate member of the NCSBN.

3

Table of Contents

Enrollment in the MPH program requires a bachelor’s level degree or higher from an accredited institution and a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Students seeking to enroll in the MSW program must have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Students must also pass a background and fingerprint check.

Chamberlain enrolls students in its graduate programs six times per year, during the January, March, May, July, September, and November sessions.

Medical and Veterinary Schools

Together, the three schools, along with the Medical Education Readiness Program (“MERP”) and the Veterinary Preparation Program, had 5,126 students enrolled in the May 2021 semester, a 1.2% decrease compared to the same term last year.

AUC

AUC, founded in 1978 and acquired by Adtalem in 2011, provides medical education and confers the Doctor of Medicine degree. AUC is located in St. Maarten and is one of the most established international medical schools in the Caribbean, producing over 7,500 graduates from over 78 countries. The mission of AUC is to train tomorrow’s physicians, whose service to their communities and their patients is enhanced by international learning experiences, a diverse learning community, and an emphasis on social accountability and engagement.

RUSM

RUSM, founded in 1978 and acquired by Adtalem in 2003, provides medical education and confers the Doctor of Medicine degree. RUSM has graduated more than 15,000 physicians since inception. The mission of RUSM is to prepare highly dedicated students to become effective and successful physicians. RUSM seeks to accomplish this by focusing on imparting the knowledge, skills, and values required for its students to establish a successful and satisfying career as a physician. In January 2019, RUSM moved its basic science instruction from Dominica to Barbados.

AUC’s and RUSM’s respective medical education programs are comparable to the educational programs offered at U.S. medical schools as evidenced by student performance on the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (“USMLE”) tests and residency placement. AUC’s and RUSM’s programs consist of three academic semesters per year, which begin in January, May, and September, allowing students to begin their basic science instruction at the most convenient time for them.

Initially, AUC and RUSM students complete a program of concentrated study of medical sciences after which they sit for Step 1 of the USMLE, which assesses whether students understand and can apply scientific concepts that are basic to the practice of medicine. Under AUC and RUSM direction, students then complete the remainder of their program by participating in clinical rotations conducted at over 40 affiliated teaching hospitals or medical centers connected with accredited medical education programs in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Successfully passing USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills previously was a requirement for graduation and for certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (“ECFMG”) to enter the U.S. residency match. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills has been discontinued. ECFMG has developed alternative pathways to replace this requirement, for which AUC and RUSM are generally eligible. In addition, flexibility to use some online clinical training has been allowed by accreditors and other U.S. regulatory bodies. These alternatives are critical to keeping many students on track to graduate and enter the 2022 residency match.

Upon successful completion of their medical degree requirements, students apply for a residency position in their area of specialty through the National Residency Matching Program (“NRMP”). This process is also known as “The Match”® and utilizes an algorithm to “match” applicants to programs using the certified rank order lists of the applicants and program directors.

AUC students achieved a 94% and 93% first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step 1 exam in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Of first-time eligible AUC graduates, 92% attained residency positions in both 2020 and 2021.

4

Table of Contents

RUSM students achieved a 97% and 91% first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step 1 exam in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Of first-time eligible RUSM graduates, 95% and 92% attained residency positions in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

In September 2019, AUC opened its medical education program in the U.K. in partnership with University of Central Lancashire (“UCLAN”). The program offers students a Post Graduate Diploma in International Medical Sciences from UCLAN, followed by their Doctor of Medicine degree from AUC. Students are eligible to do clinical rotations at AUC’s clinical sites, which include hospitals in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. This program is aimed at preparing students for the USMLE.

MERP is a 15-week medical school preparatory program focused on enhancing the academic foundation of prospective AUC and RUSM students and providing them with the skills they need to be successful in medical school and to achieve their goals of becoming physicians. Upon successful completion of the MERP program, students are guaranteed admission to AUC or RUSM. Data has shown that the performance of students who complete the MERP program are consistent with students who were admitted directly into medical school.

RUSVM

RUSVM, founded in 1982 and acquired by Adtalem in 2003, provides veterinary education and confers the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, as well as Masters of Science and Ph.D. degrees. RUSVM is one of 54 American Veterinary Medical Association (“AVMA”) accredited veterinary education institutions in the world. RUSVM is located in St. Kitts and has graduated nearly 6,000 veterinarians since inception. The mission of RUSVM is to provide the best learning environment to prepare students to become members and leaders of the worldwide public and professional healthcare system and to advance human and animal health through research and knowledge exchange.

The RUSVM program is structured to provide a veterinary education that is comparable to educational programs at U.S. veterinary schools. RUSVM students complete a seven-semester, pre-clinical curriculum at the campus in St. Kitts. After completing their pre-clinical curriculum, RUSVM students enter a clinical clerkship under RUSVM direction lasting approximately 45 weeks at one of 31 clinical affiliates located in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the U.K.

RUSVM offers a one-semester Veterinary Preparatory Program (“Vet Prep”) designed to enhance the pre-clinical science knowledge and study skills that are critical to success in veterinary school. The Vet Prep advancement rate for 2018-2019 is 92%, which represents the percent of Vet Prep students in 2018-2019 who started at RUSVM within one year.

In 2020 and 2021, instruction for both the RUSVM and Vet Prep programs was partially offered online in response to COVID-19 travel restrictions. As of June 30, 2021, all students except those in Vet Prep had returned to full-time instruction in St. Kitts.

Student Admissions and Admissions Standards

AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM employ regional admissions representatives in locations throughout the U.S. and Canada who provide information to students interested in their respective programs. A successful applicant must have completed the required prerequisite courses and, for AUC and RUSM, taken the Medical College Admission Test (“MCAT”), while RUSVM applicants must have completed the Graduate Record Exam (“GRE”). Candidates for admission must interview with an admissions representative and all admission decisions are made by the admissions committees of the medical and veterinary schools. AUC allows several entrance examinations for its international students. The MCAT (and other entrance exams) requirement is currently waived due to lack of availability of testing caused by COVID-19 closures. The Department of Education (“ED”), which usually mandates that the schools require MCAT for U.S. citizens, has waived this requirement for the calendar 2021 because of limited testing availability due to COVID-19. Both AUC and RUSM waived MCAT requirements, and the first students with waived MCAT requirements began their education in September 2020. For classes starting in September 2021, AUC and RUSM will continue to waive the MCAT requirement. RUSVM waived GRE requirements for classes starting in January 2021 and May 2021 because of limited testing availability due to COVID-19.

5

Table of Contents

Financial Services

ACAMS

ACAMS, founded in 2001 and acquired by Adtalem in July 2016, is the largest international membership organization dedicated to enhancing the knowledge, skills, and expertise of anti-financial crime prevention professionals globally. As of June 30, 2021, ACAMS has more than 83,000 members in 175 countries. Members include representatives from a wide range of financial institutions, regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, and industry sectors. ACAMS further strengthens Adtalem’s financial services offerings by providing professional education, best-in-class peer network and thought leadership for the global financial crime prevention community.

ACAMS’ offerings include membership services, associate, professional and advanced-level certifications, including the gold standard Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (“CAMS”) certification and the Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (“CGSS”) certification, professional development through virtual and in-person training, risk assessment, and publications. The CAMS credential and ACAMS advanced certifications like CAMS-Audit and CAMS-FCI (Financial Crimes Investigation) are recognized as industry-leading in anti-money laundering (“AML”) certifications worldwide. ACAMS continues to help its members safeguard their institutions with new training initiatives and certifications on such topics as the FinTech sector, transaction monitoring, risk management, and Know-Your-Customer requirements. ACAMS’ free Ending Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking certificate that was launched in June 2020 in partnership with Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking has seen close to 10,000 professionals enrolled within a year. ACAMS launched a similar initiative in September 2020 with the World Wide Fund for Nature to end illegal wildlife trade. Through webinars, other online training and thought leadership, ACAMS continues to inform industry thinking on the compliance risks and best practices associated with virtual currencies, digital ID, artificial intelligence, green crimes, and other emerging issues for financial institutions.

ACAMS markets its training programs to AML and anti-financial crime professionals from a wide range of industries, including large financial institutions, brokerage firms, the FinTech sector and insurance companies. Direct mail, print, e-mail, digital, and social media advertising are used to enhance program awareness, distribute relevant content, and to attract new members and program participants. The ACAMS website is another source of information for prospective members and event attendees.

Becker

Becker, founded in 1957 as Becker CPA Review and acquired by Adtalem in 1996, is a global leader in professional education serving the accounting and finance professions. Becker prepares candidates for the Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) and Certified Management Accountant (“CMA”) certification examinations and offers continuing professional education programs and seminars. Classes are taught online and live across the U.S. and in approximately 35 foreign countries. Classes are taught directly by Becker and through licensed affiliates. Nearly one million candidates have prepared for the Uniform CPA Examination (“CPA exam”) using Becker’s CPA Exam Review Course. The CPA exam is prepared and administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”). Becker also offers continuing professional education and training programs in the fields of accounting and finance to help individuals and organizations achieve superior performance through professional development.

To meet the demands and learning preferences of today’s busy professionals, Becker’s classes are offered in two formats: live and self-study. Becker’s test preparation revenue is primarily derived from self-study materials. The self-study product is interactive and offers the same instructor-led lectures and materials available in the live classroom courses. Becker also provides access to a wide variety of services to support students including one-on-one tutoring, success coaching, academic support, and administrative support services for its university, firm, and corporate partners.

Becker management believes that it has developed competitive advantages in its 60-plus year history and track record of successful customer achievements on the CPA exam. Becker offers experienced, highly qualified instructors for each area of specialty included in the exam, including industry renowned accounting experts. Becker’s materials are continuously and extensively updated and include practice simulations and software functionality similar to those used in the CPA exam.

6

Table of Contents

Becker markets its courses directly to potential customers and to select employers, including the large global, national, and regional public accounting firms. Becker drives new students to its website through a combination of alumni referrals, email, digital and social media advertising, affiliate marketing, and a network of student representatives at colleges and universities across the country.

Becker has long-standing relationships with all of the top 100 largest public accounting firms, including each of the “Global 7” public accounting firms. In total, Becker has relationships with more than 1,500 public accounting firms, professional societies, and universities.

OCL

OCL, founded in 2007 and acquired by Adtalem in May 2019, is a leading provider of compliance training, mortgage licensure preparation, continuing education, and professional development in the banking and mortgage industries across the U.S. With multi-modal formats, including webinars, videos, micro-learning, and animation, financial institutions can easily provide training programs that work best for their workforce.

OCL markets its governance, risk, and compliance training, as well as professional development courses to banks and credit unions. Its offerings include over 600 online courses and 450 webinars per year. Training and courses address the diverse education needs of the institution, including frontlines, compliance teams, commercial and retail lending, executive leadership, and board of directors.

OCL markets its mortgage pre-licensing, exam preparation, continuing education, and professional development training to mortgage companies and professionals. Its mortgage pre-licensing and continuing education offerings are Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry (“NMLS”) approved in all 50 states.

OCL markets its library of proprietary and industry-aligned accredited courses and training programs to banks, credit unions, mortgage brokerage companies and individuals. Direct mail, print, e-mail, digital, social media, and paid search advertising enhance program awareness, distribute relevant content, and attract new customers. OCL’s websites are another source of information for prospective customers.

EduPristine

EduPristine, founded in 2008, is based in Mumbai, India. Adtalem completed the acquisition of its majority interest in EduPristine in February 2018, with current ownership of 71%. EduPristine is a financial services provider in India offering online and classroom programs in the areas of finance, accounting, and analytics.

Discontinued Operations

In accordance with GAAP, the Adtalem Brazil, Carrington, and DeVry University entities are classified as “Discontinued Operations.” As a result, all financial results, disclosures, and discussions of continuing operations in this Annual Report on Form 10-K exclude Adtalem Brazil, Carrington, and DeVry University operations, unless otherwise noted.

Adtalem Brazil

On April 24, 2020, Adtalem completed the sale of Adtalem Brazil to Estácio Participações S.A. (“Estácio”) and Sociedade de Ensino Superior Estaćio de Sá Ltda, a wholly owned subsidiary of Estácio (“Purchaser”), pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement dated October 18, 2019. Adtalem received $345.9 million in sale proceeds and $56.0 million of Adtalem Brazil’s cash, for a combined $401.9 million upon the sale. In addition, Adtalem received $110.7 million from the settlement of a deal-contingent foreign currency hedge arrangement entered into in connection with the sale of Adtalem Brazil to economically hedge the Brazilian Real denominated purchase price through mitigation of the currency exchange rate risk.

7

Table of Contents

Carrington

On December 4, 2018, Adtalem completed the sale of Carrington to San Joaquin Valley College, Inc. (“SJVC”) pursuant to the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the “MIPA”) dated June 28, 2018. To support Carrington’s future success, Adtalem made a capital contribution of $7.5 million to Carrington, based on an agreed working capital balance of $11.5 million at the closing date.

DeVry University

On December 11, 2018, Adtalem completed the sale of DeVry University to Cogswell Education, LLC (“Cogswell”) pursuant to the purchase agreement dated December 4, 2017. To support DeVry University’s future success, Adtalem transferred DeVry University with a working capital balance of $8.75 million at the closing date. In addition, Adtalem has agreed to indemnify Cogswell for certain losses including those related to certain pre-closing Defense to Repayment claims. The purchase agreement also includes an earn-out entitling Adtalem to payments of up to $20 million over a ten-year period payable based on DeVry University’s free cash flow.

Overview of the Impact of COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 has had tragic consequences across the globe and altered business and consumer activity across many industries. Management initiated several changes to the operations of our institutions and administrative functions in order to protect the health of Adtalem employees, students, and customers and to mitigate the financial effects of COVID-19 and its resultant economic slowdown. We will continue to evaluate, and if appropriate, adopt other measures in the future required for the ongoing safety of our students, customers, and employees. See also the COVID-19 section in Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information, including the effects of COVID-19 on our operations.

8

Table of Contents

9

Table of Contents

Market Trends and Competition

Medical and Healthcare

Chamberlain

Chamberlain competes in the U.S. nursing education market, which has more than 2,000 programs leading to RN licensure. These include four-year educational institutions, two-year community colleges, and diploma schools of nursing. The market consists of two distinct segments: pre-licensure nursing programs that prepare students to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and post-licensure nursing programs that allow existing RNs to advance their education.

In the pre-licensure nursing market, capacity limitations and restricted new student enrollment are common among traditional four-year educational institutions and community colleges. Chamberlain has 23 campuses located in 15 states. In Fall 2020, according to data obtained from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (“AACN”), Chamberlain had the largest pre-licensure program in the U.S.

In post-licensure nursing education, there are more than 700 institutions offering RN-to-BSN programs and more than 600 institutions offering MSN programs. Chamberlain’s RN-to-BSN degree completion option has received three certifications from Quality Matters, an independent global organization leading quality assurance in online teaching and learning environments. Chamberlain has earned the Online Learning Support, Online Teaching Support, and Online Learner Success certifications. Chamberlain’s RN-to-BSN degree completion option, MSN degree program, and DNP degree program are approved in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The MSN FNP track is approved in 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while the AGACP and AGPCP tracks are approved in 42 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The MPH program is approved in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The MSW program is approved in 37 states and Puerto Rico.

In Fall 2020, according to AACN data, Chamberlain had the largest FNP and DNP programs in the U.S.

Medical and Veterinary Schools

AUC and RUSM compete with approximately 150 U.S. schools of medicine, 48 U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine, and more than 40 Caribbean medical schools as well as with international medical schools recruiting U.S. students who may be eligible to receive funding from ED Title IV programs. RUSVM competes with AVMA accredited schools, of which 33 are U.S.-based, 5 are Canadian and 16 are other international veterinary schools.

There has been some recent expansion in the U.S. medical education and veterinary education enrollment capacities because of the growing supply/demand imbalance for medical doctors and veterinarians. Despite this expansion, management believes the imbalance will continue to spur demand for medical and veterinary education.

10

Table of Contents

Financial Services

ACAMS

Money laundering and the financing of terrorism are financial crimes with significant economic impact. Money laundering can occur in various forms including corruption, drug trafficking, tax evasion, and cybercrime. AML is the set of procedures, laws, and regulations designed to combat the practice of generating income through illegal actions. Professionals who need effective AML procedures include financial institutions, insurers, asset managers, lawyers, broker-dealers, private equity firms, consultants, law enforcement, and credit institutions. This training protects companies against various costs, such as financial penalties from regulatory bodies, personal liability, financial action from shareholders or employees, and reputational damage.

Organizations’ training methods are met by third-parties or internally developed informal training. Regulators are encouraging companies to maintain higher control standards. Due to frequent regulatory changes, internal training is being supplemented with third-party developed training programs to meet the higher regulatory standards. ACAMS is the largest AML certifier and is recognized as an industry leader in AML credentialing.

As of June 30, 2021, more than 43,000 professionals have been certified, which is completed by passing the ACAMS CAMS certification examination, CGSS certification or other ACAMS certification examinations as a qualified applicant. Two of the highly regarded industry publications are ACAMS Today and ACAMS moneylaundering.com. Prior to COVID-19, conferences and seminars are held in 32 countries and host approximately 10,000 attendees annually. ACAMS also has chapters in 60 countries around the world, led by professionals from the respective countries or geographic regions on a voluntary basis.

Becker

In 2018, the AICPA reported that there were approximately 76,000 accounting graduates combined across bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates and in 2018, approximately 37,000 new candidates began the CPA exam. The number of accounting graduates has increased at a compound annual growth rate of 1.4% over the last ten years. Over that same time period, the number of first-time CPA exam test takers has declined at a compound annual rate of 1.8%; although the number of test-takers may fluctuate in specific years based on the timing of student demand and exam changes. In 2018, the number of first-time CPA exam test takers fell 14% below the ten-year average (2008-2017). Further, 2018 employment of accounting graduates at U.S. public accounting firms, a key driver of CPA demand, declined 13% from the ten-year average as firms seek alternative skill sets to expand services.

Becker competes with other purveyors of exam preparation, including courses offered by colleges, universities, and other public and private training companies.

Becker is the industry leader in providing CPA exam review services and has been preparing candidates to pass the CPA exam for over 60 years. From 2007-2020, 90% of all Watt Sells Award winners, which are individuals who achieved the highest cumulative scores on the CPA exam, prepared with Becker.

OCL

Professionals in the financial services and mortgage industry require mandatory compliance training to meet regulatory requirements and internal compliance requirements; those in the mortgage industry have licensure and continuing education requirements. The regulatory environment for the financial services and mortgage industries continues to change at a rapid pace, which requires companies to maintain higher control standards. OCL’s offerings address these needs as well as the growing importance of specialized skills and up-skilling the workforce. Organizations meet their training needs by partnering with third-party training providers and internally developed informal training. Due to frequent regulatory changes, internal training is being supplemented with third-party developed training programs to meet higher regulatory standards. OCL is one of the largest national providers of training in both the bank, credit union, and mortgage industries.

11

Table of Contents

Accreditation and Other Regulatory Approvals

Educational institutions and their individual programs are awarded accreditation by achieving a level of quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and the public they serve. Accredited institutions are subject to periodic review by accrediting bodies to ensure continued high performance and institutional and program improvement and integrity, and to confirm that accreditation requirements continue to be satisfied. College and university administrators depend on the accredited status of an institution when evaluating transfer credit and applicants to their schools; employers rely on the accreditation status of an institution when evaluating a candidate’s credentials; parents and high school counselors look to accreditation for assurance that an institution meets quality educational standards; and many professions require candidates to graduate from an accredited program in order to obtain professional licensure in their respective fields. Moreover, in the U.S., accreditation is necessary for students to qualify for federal financial assistance and most scholarship commissions restrict their awards to students attending accredited institutions.

Medical and Healthcare

Chamberlain

Chamberlain is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (“HLC”), a regional accreditation agency recognized by ED. In addition to institutional accreditation, Chamberlain has also obtained, or is in the process of obtaining, programmatic accreditation for specific programs. BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (“APRN”) certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Chamberlain’s MPH program has commenced the accreditation process with the Council on Education for Public Health, which accepted Chamberlain’s application in October 2017. Chamberlain’s MSW program has commenced the accreditation process with the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation, which accepted Chamberlain’s application in May 2019 and granted candidacy status in June 2020.

Medical and Veterinary Schools

The Government of St. Maarten authorizes AUC to confer the Doctor of Medicine degree. AUC is accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (“ACCM”). The ACCM is an international medical school accrediting organization for countries that do not have a national medical school accreditation body. The U.S. Department of Education National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (“NCFMEA”) has affirmed that the ACCM has established and enforces standards of educational accreditation that are comparable to those promulgated by the U.S. Liaison Committee on Medical Education (“LCME”). In addition, AUC is authorized to place students in clinical rotations in the majority of U.S. states, including California, Florida, and New York, where robust processes are in place to evaluate and approve an international medical school’s programs. AUC students can join residency training programs in all 50 states. AUC has also been approved by the Graduate Medical Council (“GMC”), the accrediting body in the U.K., which allows AUC graduates to apply for post-graduate (residency) programs in the U.K.

RUSM’s primary accreditor is Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (“CAAM-HP”). CAAM-HP is authorized to accredit medical programs by the government of Barbados. On July 26, 2018, Barbados authorized RUSM to confer the Doctor of Medicine degree. The NCFMEA has affirmed that CAAM-HP has established and enforces standards of educational accreditation that are comparable to those promulgated by the LCME. In addition, RUSM is authorized to place students in clinical rotations in the majority of U.S. states, including California, Florida, New Jersey, and New York, where robust processes are in place to evaluate and accredit an international medical school’s programs. RUSM students can join residency training programs in all 50 states.

RUSVM has been recognized by the government of the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis (“St. Kitts”) and is chartered to confer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (“AVMA COE”). RUSVM has affiliations with 31 AVMA-accredited U.S. and international colleges of veterinary medicine so that RUSVM students can complete their final three clinical semesters of study in the U.S. or abroad. RUSVM has received accreditation for its Postgraduate Studies program from the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board. The Postgraduate Studies program offers Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in all research areas supported by RUSVM. Areas of emphasis are guided by RUSVM's themed research centers.

12

Table of Contents

Regulatory Environment

Student Payments

Adtalem’s primary source of liquidity is the cash received from payments for student tuition, books, other educational materials, and fees. These payments include funds originating as financial aid from various federal and state loan and grant programs, student and family educational loans (“private loans”), employer educational reimbursements, scholarships, and student and family financial resources. Adtalem continues to provide financing options for its students, including Adtalem’s credit extension programs.

The following table, which excludes Adtalem Brazil, Carrington, and DeVry University revenue, summarizes Adtalem’s revenue by fund source as a percentage of total revenue for fiscal years 2020 and 2019. Final data for fiscal year 2021 is not yet available.

Financial Aid

All financial aid and assistance programs are subject to political and governmental budgetary considerations. In the U.S., the Higher Education Act (as reauthorized, the “HEA”) guides the federal government’s support of postsecondary education. The HEA was last reauthorized by the U.S. Congress in July 2008 and was signed into law in August 2008. In the 117^th Congress, a comprehensive HEA reauthorization bill has not been introduced. However, standalone bills impacting Title IV federal financial aid programs have been introduced in both chambers of Congress. Some of these bills could be included in a larger legislative package, which could include the HEA. When the HEA is reauthorized, existing programs and participation requirements are subject to change. Additionally, funding for student financial assistance programs may be impacted during appropriations and budget actions.

Information about Particular U.S. and Canadian Government Financial Aid Programs

Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM students participate in many U.S. and Canadian financial aid programs. Each of these programs is briefly described below.

U.S. Federal Financial Aid Programs

Students in the U.S. rely on three types of ED student financial aid programs under Title IV of the HEA.

1. Grants. Chamberlain undergraduate students may participate in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant programs.

13

Table of Contents

2. Loans. Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM students may participate in the Direct Unsubsidized and PLUS programs within the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. Chamberlain undergraduate students may also be eligible for Subsidized Loans within the Federal Direct Student Loan Program.

3. Federal Work-study. Chamberlain participates in this program, which offers work opportunities, both on or off campus, on a part-time basis to students who demonstrate financial need. Federal Work-study wages are paid partly from federal funds and partly from qualified employer funds.

State Financial Aid Programs

Certain states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Vermont, offer state grant or loan assistance to eligible undergraduate students attending Adtalem institutions.

Canadian Government Financial Aid Programs

Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada (other than students from the Northwest Territories, Nunavet, or Quebec) are eligible for loans under the Canada Student Loans Program, which is financed by the Canadian government. Eligibility and amount of funding vary by province. Students attending Chamberlain online while in the U.S., or attending AUC, RUSM, or RUSVM, may be eligible for the Canada Student Loan Program. The loans are interest-free while the student is in school, and repayment begins six months after the student leaves school. Qualified students also may benefit from Canada Study Grants (designed for students whose financial needs and special circumstances cannot otherwise be met), tax-free withdrawals from retirement savings plans, tax-free education savings plans, loan repayment extensions, and interest relief on loans.

14

Table of Contents

Information about Other Financial Aid Programs

Private Loan Programs

Some Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM students rely on private (non-federal) loan programs borrowed from private lenders for financial assistance. These programs are used to finance the gap between a student’s educational and living costs and their financial aid awards. The amount of the typical loan varies significantly according to the student’s enrollment and financial aid awards.

Most private loans are approved using the student’s or a co-borrower’s credit history. The cost of these loans varies, but in almost all cases will be more expensive than the federal programs. The application process is separate from the federal financial aid process. Student finance personnel at Adtalem’s degree-granting institutions coordinate these processes so that students generally receive assistance from the federal and state programs before utilizing private loans.

Adtalem does not maintain a preferred lender list, but does list all of the lenders that it is aware of that made private loans to Adtalem students in the previous year and still offer loans to Adtalem students.

Tax-Favored Programs

The U.S. has a number of tax-favored programs aimed at promoting savings for future college expenses. These include state-sponsored “529” college savings plans, state-sponsored prepaid tuition plans, education savings accounts (formerly known as education IRAs), custodial accounts for minors, Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits, and tax deductions for interest on student loans.

Adtalem-Provided Financial Assistance

Each of our institutions offer a variety of scholarships to assist with tuition and fee expenses, some of which are one-time awards while others are renewable. Some students may also qualify for more than one scholarship at a time.

Chamberlain students are eligible for numerous institutional scholarships with awards up to $2,500 per semester.

Students at AUC may be eligible for an institutional scholarship, ranging from $5,000 to $80,000 to cover expenses incurred from tuition and fees. Students at RUSM may be eligible for various institutional scholarships, ranging from $5,000 to $108,000, to cover expenses incurred from housing, tuition and fees. Students at RUSVM may be eligible for an institutional scholarship, ranging from $2,000 to $27,123 to cover expenses incurred from tuition and fees.

Adtalem’s credit extension programs are available to students at Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM. These credit extension programs are designed to assist students who are unable to completely cover educational costs consisting of tuition, books, and fees, and are available only after all other student financial assistance has been applied toward those purposes. In addition, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM allow students to finance their living expenses. Repayment plans for financing agreements are developed to address the financial circumstances of the particular student. Interest charges at rates from 3.0% to 12.0% per annum accrue each month on the unpaid balance once a student withdraws or graduates from a program. Most students are required to begin repaying their loans while they are still in school with a minimum payment level designed to demonstrate their capability to repay, which reduces the possibility of over borrowing. Payments may increase upon completing or departing school. After a student leaves school, the student typically will have a monthly installment repayment plan.

The finance agreements do not impose any origination fees, in general have a fixed rate of interest, and most carry annual and aggregate maximums that ensure that they are only a supplemental source of funding and not relied on as the main source. Borrowers must be current in their payments in order to be eligible for subsequent disbursements. Borrowers are advised about the terms of the financing agreements and counseled to utilize all other available private and federal funding options before securing financing through the institution.

Adtalem financing agreements are carried on our balance sheet, net of related reserves, and there are no relationships with external parties that reduce Adtalem’s risk of collections.

15

Table of Contents

Employer-Provided Tuition Assistance

Chamberlain students who receive employer tuition assistance may choose from several deferred tuition payment plans. Students eligible for tuition reimbursement plans may have their tuition billed directly to their employers or payment may be deferred until after the end of the session. Educational expenses paid by an employer on behalf of an employee generally are excludable from the employee’s income if provided under a qualified educational assistance plan. At present, the maximum annual exclusion is $5,250.

Becker

Students taking the Becker review courses are not eligible for federal or state financial aid, but many receive partial or full tuition reimbursement from their employers. Private loans are also available to students to help meet the program costs.

Legislative and Regulatory Requirements

Government-funded financial assistance programs are governed by extensive and complex regulations in the U.S. Like any other educational institution, Adtalem’s administration of these programs is periodically reviewed by various regulatory agencies and is subject to audit or investigation by other governmental authorities. Any violation could be the basis for penalties or other disciplinary action, including initiation of a suspension, limitation, or termination proceeding.

U.S. Federal Regulations

Our domestic postsecondary institutions are subject to extensive federal and state regulations. The HEA and the related ED regulations govern all higher education institutions participating in Title IV programs, and provide for a regulatory triad by mandating specific regulatory responsibilities for each of the following: (1) the federal government through ED, (2) the accrediting agencies recognized by ED, and (3) state higher education regulatory bodies.

To be eligible to participate in Title IV programs, a postsecondary institution must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by ED, must comply with the HEA and all applicable regulations thereunder, and must be authorized to operate by the appropriate postsecondary regulatory authority in each state in which the institution operates, as applicable.

In addition to governance by the regulatory triad, there has been increased focus by members of the U.S. Congress and federal agencies, including ED, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), on the role that proprietary educational institutions play in higher education. We expect that this challenging regulatory environment will continue for the foreseeable future.

Changes in or new interpretations of applicable laws, rules, or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our eligibility to participate in Title IV programs, accreditation, authorization to operate in various states, permissible activities, and operating costs. The failure to maintain or renew any required regulatory approvals, accreditation, or state authorizations could have a material adverse effect on us. ED regulations regarding financial responsibility provide that, if any one of our Title IV participating institutions (“Title IV Institutions”) is unable to pay its obligations under its program participation agreement as a result of operational issues and/or an enforcement action, our other Title IV Institutions, regardless of their compliance with applicable laws and regulations, would not be able to maintain their Title IV eligibility without assisting in the repayment of the non-compliant institution’s Title IV obligations. As a result, even though Adtalem’s Title IV Institutions are operated through independent entities, an enforcement action against one of our institutions could also have a material adverse effect on the businesses, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of Adtalem’s other Title IV Institutions and Adtalem as a whole and could result in the imposition of significant restrictions on the ability of Adtalem’s other Title IV Institutions and Adtalem as a whole to operate. For further information, see “A bankruptcy filing by us or by any of our Title IV Institutions, or a closure of one of our Title IV Institutions, would lead to an immediate loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs” under subsection “Risks Related to Adtalem’s Highly Regulated Industry” in Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”

We have summarized the most significant regulatory requirements applicable to our domestic postsecondary operations. Adtalem has been impacted by these regulations and enforcement efforts and is currently facing multiple related lawsuits arising from the enhanced scrutiny facing the proprietary education sector. For information regarding such pending

16

Table of Contents

investigations and litigation, and the potential impact such matters could have on our institutions or on Adtalem, see in this Annual Report on Form 10-K: (1) Note 20 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” (2) the subsection of Item 1A. “Risk Factors” titled “Risks Related to Adtalem’s Highly Regulated Industry,” and (3) the subsection of Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” titled “Regulatory Environment.”

Eligibility and Certification Procedures

The HEA specifies the manner in which ED reviews institutions for eligibility and certification to participate in Title IV programs. Every educational institution participating in the Title IV programs must be certified to participate and is required to periodically renew this certification. Institutions that violate certain ED Title IV regulations, including its financial responsibility and administrative capability regulations, may lose their eligibility to participate in Title IV programs or may only continue participation under provisional certification. Schools that do not meet financial responsibility requirements are required to submit a letter of credit equal to at least 10% of their prior fiscal year Title IV disbursements and submit to ED’s heightened cash monitoring process. Provisional certification status also carries fewer due process protections than full certification. As a result, ED may withdraw an institution’s provisional certification more easily than if it is fully certified. Provisional certification does not otherwise limit access to Title IV program funds by students attending the institution.

Defense to Repayment Regulations

Under the HEA, ED is authorized to specify in regulations, which acts or omissions of an institution of higher education a borrower may assert as a Defense to Repayment of a Direct Loan made under the Federal Direct Loan Program. On July 1, 2020, new Defense to Repayment regulations went into effect that include a higher threshold for establishing misrepresentation, provides for a statute of limitation for claims submission, narrows the current triggers allowed for letter of credit requirements, and eliminates provisions for group discharges. The new regulations are effective with claims on loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2020.

The “90/10 Rule”

An ED regulation known as the “90/10 Rule” affects only proprietary postsecondary institutions, such as Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM. Under this regulation, an institution that derives more than 90% of its revenue on a cash basis from Title IV student financial assistance programs in two consecutive fiscal years loses eligibility to participate in these programs for at least two fiscal years. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Rescue Act”) enacted on March 11, 2021 amended the 90/10 rule to require that a proprietary institution derive no more than 90% of its revenue from federal education assistance funds, including but not limited to previously excluded U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and military tuition assistance benefits. This change is subject to negotiated rulemaking, which will not begin prior to October 1, 2021. The amended rule will first apply to institutional fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2023. The following table details the percentage of revenue on a cash basis from federal financial assistance programs (excluding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and military tuition assistance benefits) for each of Adtalem’s Title IV-eligible institutions for fiscal years 2020 and 2019. Final data for fiscal year 2021 is not yet available.

In September 2016, Adtalem committed to voluntarily limit to 85% the amount of revenue that each of its Title IV-eligible institutions derive from federal funding, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and military tuition assistance benefits. As disclosed in the third-party review reports that have been made publicly available, Adtalem’s institutions have met this lower threshold for each fiscal year since the commitment was made. Adtalem is committed to implementing measures to promote responsible recruitment and enrollment, successful student outcomes, and informed student choice. Management believes students deserve greater transparency to make informed choices about their

17

Table of Contents

education. This commitment builds upon a solid foundation and brings Adtalem to a new self-imposed level of public accountability and transparency.

Incentive Compensation

An educational institution participating in Title IV programs may not pay any commission, bonus, or other incentive payments to any person involved in student recruitment or awarding of Title IV program funds, if such payments are based directly or indirectly in any part on success in enrolling students or obtaining student financial aid. The law and regulations governing this requirement have not established clear criteria for compliance in all circumstances, but, prior to 2011, there were 12 safe harbors that defined specific types of compensation that were deemed to constitute permissible incentive compensation. New rules effective in 2011 eliminated the 12 safe harbors. These changes increased the uncertainty about what constitutes incentive compensation and which employees are covered by the regulation. This makes the development of effective and compliant performance metrics more difficult to establish. As such, these changes have limited and are expected to continue to limit Adtalem’s ability to compensate our employees based on their performance of their job responsibilities, which could make it more difficult to attract and retain highly-qualified employees. Management believes that Adtalem has not been, nor is currently, involved in any activities that violate the restrictions on commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments to any person involved in student recruitment, admissions, or awarding of Title IV program funds.

Standards of Financial Responsibility

A financial responsibility test is required for continued participation by an institution’s students in U.S. federal financial assistance programs. For Adtalem’s participating institutions, this test is calculated at the consolidated Adtalem level. The test is based upon a composite score of three ratios: an equity ratio that measures the institution’s capital resources; a primary reserve ratio that measures an institution’s ability to fund its operations from current resources; and a net income ratio that measures an institution’s ability to operate profitably. A minimum score of 1.5 is necessary to meet ED’s financial standards. Institutions with scores of less than 1.5 but greater than or equal to 1.0 are considered financially responsible, but require additional oversight. These institutions are subject to heightened cash monitoring and other participation requirements. An institution with a score of less than 1.0 is considered not financially responsible. However, an institution with a score of less than 1.0 may continue to participate in the Title IV programs under provisional certification. In addition, this lower score typically requires that the institution be subject to heightened cash monitoring requirements and post a letter of credit (equal to a minimum of 10% of the Title IV aid it received in the institution's most recent fiscal year).

For the past several years, Adtalem’s composite score has exceeded the required minimum of 1.5. Changes to the manner in which the composite score is calculated that were effective on July 1, 2020 has negatively affected Adtalem’s composite score for fiscal year 2021 and will continue to negatively affect future Adtalem scores. At this time, management does not believe these changes by themselves will result in the score falling below 1.5. However, as a result of the acquisition of Walden and the related transactions, Adtalem expects its consolidated composite score to fall below 1.5 at its next financial responsibility test. If Adtalem becomes unable to meet requisite financial responsibility standards within the regulations, management believes it will be able to otherwise demonstrate its ability to continue to provide educational services; however, our institutions could still be subject to heightened cash monitoring or be required to post a letter of credit to continue to participate in federal and state financial assistance programs.

Administrative Capability

The HEA directs ED to assess the administrative capability of each institution to participate in Title IV programs. The failure of an institution to satisfy any of the criteria used to assess administrative capability may cause ED to determine that the institution lacks administrative capability and, therefore, subject the institution to additional scrutiny or deny its eligibility for Title IV programs.

State Authorization

Institutions that participate in Title IV programs must be authorized to operate by the appropriate postsecondary regulatory authority in each state where the institution has a physical presence. Chamberlain is specifically authorized to operate in all of the domestic jurisdictions that require such authorizations. Some states assert authority to regulate all

18

Table of Contents

degree-granting institutions if their educational programs are available to their residents, whether or not the institutions maintain a physical presence within those states. Chamberlain has obtained licensure in states which require such licensure and where their students are enrolled and is an institutional participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (“NC-SARA”) initiative.

On December 19, 2016, ED published new rules concerning requirements for institutional eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. These regulations, which would have become effective beginning July 1, 2018, but were delayed until July 1, 2020, were subsequently renegotiated as part of the 2018-2019 Accreditation and Innovation rule-making sessions. The renegotiated rule went into effect on July 1, 2020 and requires an institution offering distance education or correspondence courses to be authorized by each state from which the institution enrolls students, if such authorization is required by the state. If an institution offers postsecondary education through distance education or correspondence courses in a state that participates in a state authorization reciprocity agreement, and the institution offering the program is located in a state where it is also covered by such an agreement, the institution would be considered legally authorized to offer postsecondary distance or correspondence education in the state where courses are offered via distance education, subject to any limitations in that agreement. The regulations also require an institution to document the state processes for resolving complaints from students enrolled in programs offered through distance education or correspondence courses. Lastly, the regulations require that an institution provide certain disclosures to enrolled and prospective students regarding its programs that lead to professional licensure.

Cohort Default Rates

ED has instituted strict regulations that penalize institutions whose students have high default rates on federal student loans. Depending on the type of loan, a loan is considered in default after the borrower becomes at least 270 or 360 days past due. For a variety of reasons, higher default rates are often found in private-sector institutions and community colleges, many of which tend to have a higher percentage of low-income students enrolled compared to four-year publicly supported and independent colleges and universities.

Educational institutions are penalized to varying degrees under the Federal Direct Student Loan Program, depending on the default rate for the “cohort” defined in the statute. An institution with a cohort default rate that exceeds 20% for the year is required to develop a plan to reduce defaults, but the institution’s operations and its students’ ability to utilize student loans are not restricted. An institution with a cohort default rate of 30% or more for three consecutive years is ineligible to participate in these loan programs and cannot offer student loans administered by ED for the fiscal year in which the ineligibility determination is made and for the next two fiscal years. Students attending an institution whose cohort default rate has exceeded 30% for three consecutive years are also ineligible for Federal Pell Grants. Any institution with a cohort default rate of 40% or more in any year is subject to immediate limitation, suspension, or termination proceedings from all federal aid programs.

According to ED, the three-year cohort default rate for all colleges and universities eligible for federal financial aid was 9.7% in fiscal year 2017 (the latest period for which data are available) and 10.1% in fiscal year 2016.

The latest period for which final three-year data is available is fiscal year 2017. Default rates for Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM students are as follows:

Satisfactory Academic Progress

In addition to the requirements that educational institutions must meet, student recipients of financial aid must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their program of study and an appropriate grade point average.

19

Table of Contents

Change of Ownership or Control

Any material change of ownership or change of control of Adtalem, depending on the type of change, may have significant regulatory consequences for each of our Title IV Institutions. Such a change of ownership or control could require recertification by ED, the reevaluation of accreditation by each institution’s accreditors and/or reauthorization by each institutions’ state licensing agencies. If Adtalem experiences a material change of ownership or change of control, then our Title IV Institutions may cease to be eligible to participate in Title IV programs until recertified by ED. There is no assurance that such recertification would be obtained on a timely basis. After a material change in ownership or change of control, most institutions will participate in Title IV programs on a provisional basis for a period of one to three years.

In addition, each Title IV Institution is required to report any material change in stock ownership to its principal institutional accrediting body and would generally be required to obtain approval prior to undergoing any transaction that affects, or may affect, its corporate control or governance. In the event of any such change, each of our institution’s accreditors may undertake an evaluation of the effect of the change on the continuing operations of our institution for purposes of determining if continued accreditation is appropriate, which evaluation may include a comprehensive review.

In addition, some states in which our Title IV Institutions are licensed require approval (in some cases, advance approval) of changes in ownership or control in order to remain authorized to operate in those states, and participation in grant programs in some states may be interrupted or otherwise affected by a change in ownership or control.

Refer to the risk factor titled “If regulators do not approve, or delay their approval, of transactions involving a material change of ownership or change of control of Adtalem, the eligibility of our institutions to participate in Title IV programs, our institutions’ accreditation and our institutions’ state licenses may be impaired in a manner that materially and adversely affects our business” under subsection “Risks Related to Adtalem’s Highly Regulated Industry” in Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”

State Approvals and Licensing

Adtalem institutions require authorizations from many state higher education authorities to recruit students, operate schools, conduct exam preparation courses, and grant degrees. Generally, the addition of any new program of study or new operating location also requires approval by the appropriate licensing and regulatory agencies. In the U.S., each Chamberlain location is approved to grant degrees by the respective state in which it is located. Additionally, many states require approval for out-of-state institutions to recruit within their state or offer instruction through online modalities to residents of their states. Adtalem believes its institutions are in compliance with all state requirements as an out-of-state institution. AUC and RUSM clinical programs are accredited as part of their programs of medical education by their respective accrediting bodies, approved by the appropriate boards in those states that have a formal process to do so, and are reported to ED as required.

Many states require private-sector postsecondary education institutions to post surety bonds for licensure. In the U.S., Adtalem has posted approximately $8.9 million of surety bonds with regulatory authorities on behalf of Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, RUSVM, Becker, and OCL.

Certain states have set standards of financial responsibility that differ from those prescribed by federal regulation. Adtalem believes its institutions are in compliance with state and Canadian provincial regulations. If Adtalem were unable to meet the tests of financial responsibility for a specific jurisdiction, and could not otherwise demonstrate financial responsibility, Adtalem could be required to cease operations in that state. To date, Adtalem has successfully demonstrated its financial responsibility where required.

Seasonality

The seasonal pattern of Adtalem’s enrollments and its educational programs’ starting dates affect the results of operations and timing of cash flows.

20

Table of Contents

Human Capital

As of June 30, 2021, Adtalem had the following number of employees:

Adtalem also utilizes approximately 2,500 independent contractors who teach as adjunct faculty and instructors. These independent contractors are not included in the above table. Our management believes that Adtalem has good relations with its employees.

We regularly gather feedback from our employees through our Engagement Survey to gain insight into how our employees perceive their work environment, the resources to do their job, the quality of communications within and across teams, and their commitment to the organization. Engagement is a part of our culture. We want to understand what is working well and where we have areas for improvement.

Two important measures that we examine through the Engagement Survey are Engagement and Enablement. Engagement is the “want to” of work, or more specifically, whether employees are committed to the organization and if they are willing to put in extra effort for the good of the organization. Enablement is the “can do” of work, meaning employee skills and abilities are fully utilized in their roles and whether the organizational environment supports them in getting their work done. Where global benchmarks are available, we are typically 5-10% above the benchmark for overall Engagement and Enablement, illustrating our strong focus on the employee experience and eye towards continuous improvement.

Over the last year, we have added dimensions to our Engagement Survey to gather feedback on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the comfort level of our employees to return to the workplace. This feedback was invaluable when developing a thoughtful approach for returning to the workplace across all office locations. Selected results from our Engagement Surveys were as follows:

Diversity and inclusion are core tenets of our culture at Adtalem. Not only do we focus on ensuring a diverse workforce through our Talent First agenda, our leadership team participates in initiatives that further the advancement of historically

21

Table of Contents

under-represented groups in society. We have been highly intentional with our practices, programs, and policies to ensure that women and people of color are getting equitable access and experience to opportunities that can better position them for career growth. By doing this, we believe that we can strengthen our ability to better serve our students, members, and employer partners, as well as make a greater social and economic impact in our global communities. One important program around this initiative is Adtalem EDGE, which stands for Empowerment, Diversity, Growth, and Excellence. Adtalem EDGE is a network of leadership scholars and professionals that promotes the enhanced career experience and advancement of women in leadership roles, while also fostering a culture of diversity and overall inclusiveness at Adtalem and in the community. This mission is supported by providing educational resources, professional development and networking, and affording leadership opportunities that facilitates career advancement.

We continuously measure representation amongst our employee population and also make it a focus in our aforementioned Engagement Survey to ensure there are no significant differences amongst groups in terms of engagement, enablement, and our employee’s view of their psychological safety within our organization.

As of June 30, 2021, our employee diversity was as follows:

​

Selected results from our May 2021 Engagement Survey were as follows:

Our focus on these initiatives, both as an organization and among our leadership team, has resulted in our recognition as a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2021 from multiple outlets, including:

Finally, Adtalem offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. In addition to offering traditional health and welfare benefits, we also offer a generous paid-time off program, multiple vehicles to accumulated retirement savings, domestic partner benefits, adoption assistance, paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers, among others. To help mitigate the impact of rising healthcare costs, we have made numerous changes to our benefits programs to increase flexibility and enhance program offerings.

Intellectual Property

Adtalem owns and uses numerous trademarks and service marks, such as “Adtalem,” “American University of the Caribbean,” “Association of Anti-Money Laundering Specialists,” “ACAMS,” “Becker Professional Education,” “Becker CPA Review,” “Chamberlain College of Nursing,” “Ross University” and others. All trademarks, service marks, certification marks, patents, and copyrights associated with its businesses are owned in the name of Adtalem Global Education Inc. or a subsidiary of Adtalem Global Education Inc. Adtalem vigorously defends against infringements of its trademarks, service marks, certification marks, patents, and copyrights.

22

Table of Contents

Available Information

We use our website (www.adtalem.com) as a routine channel of distribution of company information, including press releases, presentations, and supplemental information, as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor our website in addition to following press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls, and webcasts. Investors and others can receive notifications of new information posted on our investor relations website in real time by signing up for email alerts. You may also access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, as well as other reports relating to us that are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), free of charge in the investor relations section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. The content of the websites mentioned above is not incorporated into and should not be considered a part of this report.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Summary of Risk Factors

The summary of risks below provides an overview of the principal risks we are exposed to in the normal course of our business activities:

Risks Related to Adtalem’s Highly Regulated Industry

23

Table of Contents

Risks Related to Adtalem’s Business

24

Table of Contents

Risks Related to Acquisition

Risks Related to Shareholder Activism

Adtalem’s business operations are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are not entirely within our control. Investors should carefully consider the risk factors described below and all other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K before making an investment decision with respect to Adtalem’s common stock. If any of the following risks are realized, Adtalem’s business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected, and as a result, the price of Adtalem’s common stock could be materially and adversely affected. Management cannot predict all the possible risks and uncertainties that may arise. Risks and uncertainties that may affect Adtalem’s business include the following:

Risks Related to Adtalem’s Highly Regulated Industry

We are subject to regulatory audits, investigations, lawsuits, or other proceedings relating to compliance by the institutions in the Adtalem portfolio with numerous laws and regulations in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions applicable to the postsecondary education industry.

Due to the highly regulated nature of proprietary postsecondary institutions, we are subject to audits, compliance reviews, inquiries, complaints, investigations, claims of non-compliance, and lawsuits by federal and state governmental agencies, regulatory agencies, accrediting agencies, present and former students and employees, shareholders, and other third parties, any of whom may allege violations of any of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to us. If the results of any such claims or actions are unfavorable to us or one or more of our institutions, we may be required to pay monetary judgments, fines, or penalties, be required to repay funds received under Title IV programs or state financial aid programs, have restrictions placed on or terminate our schools’ or programs’ eligibility to participate in Title IV programs or state financial aid programs, have limitations placed on or terminate our schools’ operations or ability to grant degrees and certificates, have our schools’ accreditations restricted or revoked, or be subject to civil or criminal penalties. ED regulations regarding financial responsibility provide that, if any one of our Title IV Institutions is unable to pay its obligations under its Program Participation Agreement (“PPA”) as a result of operational issues and/or an enforcement action, our other Title IV Institutions, regardless of their compliance with applicable laws and regulations, would not be able to maintain their Title IV eligibility without assisting in the repayment of the non-compliant institution’s Title IV obligations. As a result, even though Adtalem’s Title IV Institutions are operated through independent entities, an enforcement action against one of our institutions could also have a material adverse effect on the businesses, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of Adtalem’s other Title IV Institutions and Adtalem as a whole and could

25

Table of Contents

result in the imposition of significant restrictions on the ability for Adtalem’s other Title IV Institutions and Adtalem as a whole to operate.

The ongoing regulatory effort aimed at proprietary postsecondary institutions of higher education could be a catalyst for additional legislative or regulatory restrictions, investigations, enforcement actions, and claims.

The proprietary postsecondary education sector has at times experienced scrutiny from federal legislators, agencies, and state legislators and attorneys general. An adverse disposition of these existing inquiries, administrative actions, or claims, or the initiation of other inquiries, administrative actions, or claims, could, directly or indirectly, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, result of operations, and cash flows and result in significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Adverse publicity arising from investigations, claims, or actions brought against us or other proprietary higher education institutions may negatively affect our reputation, business, or stock price, or attract additional investigations, lawsuits, or regulatory action.

Adverse publicity regarding any past, pending, or future investigations, claims, settlements, and/or actions against us or other proprietary postsecondary education institutions could negatively affect our reputation, student enrollment levels, revenue, profit, and/or the market price of our common stock. Unresolved investigations, claims, and actions, or adverse resolutions or settlements thereof, could also result in additional inquiries, administrative actions or lawsuits, increased scrutiny, the withholding of authorizations, and/or the imposition of other sanctions by state education and professional licensing authorities, taxing authorities, our accreditors and other regulatory agencies governing us, which, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Government and regulatory agencies and third parties have initiated, and could initiate additional investigations, claims, or actions against us, which could require us to pay monetary damages, halt certain business practices, or receive other sanctions. The defense and resolution of these matters could require us to expend significant resources.

As described in Note 20 “Commitments and Contingencies,” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” Adtalem, and former subsidiaries DeVry University, Inc., and DeVry/New York Inc. are the subject of consumer lawsuits alleging facts similar to those alleged by the FTC and ED in previously resolved actions. On February 27, 2020, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) notified the U.S. District Court for the District of Georgia that it would decline to intervene in two qui tam False Claims Act actions filed by former DeVry University employees related to the subject matter of the Civil Investigative Demands. Those actions were unsealed on March 2, 2020, and we cannot predict their outcome.

Due to the regulatory and enforcement efforts at times directed at proprietary postsecondary higher education institutions and adverse publicity arising from such efforts, we may face additional government and regulatory investigations and actions, lawsuits from private plaintiffs, and shareholder class actions and derivative claims. We may incur significant costs and other expenses in connection with our response to, and defense, resolution, or settlement of, investigations, claims, or actions, or group of related investigations, claims, or actions, which, individually or in the aggregate, could be outside the scope of, or in excess of, our existing insurance coverage and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. As part of our resolution of any such matter, or group of related matters, we may be required to comply with certain forms of injunctive relief, including altering certain business practices, or pay substantial damages, settlement costs, fines, and/or penalties. In addition, findings or claims or settlements thereof could serve as a basis for additional lawsuits or governmental inquiries or enforcement actions, including actions under ED’s Defense to Repayment regulations. Such actions, individually or combined with other proceedings, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. Additionally, an adverse allegation, finding or outcome in any of these matters could also materially and adversely affect our ability to maintain, obtain, or renew licenses, approvals, or accreditation, and maintain eligibility to participate in Title IV, Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs programs or serve as a basis for ED to discharge certain Title IV student loans and seek recovery for some or all of its resulting losses from us under Defense to Repayment regulations, any of which could have a material

26

Table of Contents

adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

ED has issued regulations setting forth new standards and procedures related to borrower defenses to repayment of Title IV loan obligations, and ED’s right of recoveries against institutions following a successful borrower defense and institutional financial responsibility. It is possible that a finding or allegation arising from current or future legal proceedings or governmental administrative actions may create significant liability under the proposed regulations.

Under the HEA, ED is authorized to specify in regulations, which acts or omissions of an institution of higher education a borrower may assert as a Defense to Repayment of a Direct Loan made under the Federal Direct Loan Program. On July 1, 2020, new Defense to Repayment regulations went into effect that include a higher threshold for establishing misrepresentation, provides for a statute of limitation for claims submission, narrows the current triggers allowed for letter of credit requirements, and eliminates provisions for group discharges. The new regulations are effective with claims on loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2020.

Management is unable to predict how regulations will be revised, the result of any other current or future rulemakings, or the impact of such rulemakings on our business. The outcome of any legal proceeding instituted by a private party or governmental authority, facts asserted in pending or future lawsuits, and/or the outcome of any future governmental inquiry, lawsuit, or enforcement action (including matters described in Note 20 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”) could serve as the basis for claims by students or ED under the Defense to Repayment regulations, the posting of substantial letters of credit, or the termination of eligibility of our institutions to participate in the Title IV program based on ED’s institutional capability assessment, any of which could, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Regardless of the merits of our actions, while we intend to defend ourselves vigorously in all pending and future legal proceedings, we may settle certain matters for strategic reasons, as a part of a resolution of other matters, or in order to avoid potentially worse consequences arising from inherently uncertain judicial or administrative processes. Moreover, regardless of the merits of our defenses, if we are unable to resolve certain legal proceedings or regulatory actions, indirect consequences arising from unproven allegations or appealable regulatory findings may have adverse consequences to us.

Despite the merits of our actions and defense, we may settle certain matters for strategic reasons, as a part of a resolution of other matters, or in order to avoid potentially worse consequences in inherently uncertain judicial or administrative processes. The terms of any such settlement could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operations, and cash flows, and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. Additionally, although inconsistent with its usual practices, ED has broad discretion to impose significant limitations on us and our business operations arising from acts it determines are in violation of their regulations. As a result, foreseeable and unforeseeable consequences of prior and prospective adjudicated or settled legal proceedings and regulatory matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Within the Defense to Repayment regulations, pending or future lawsuits, investigations, program reviews, and other events could each trigger, automatically or in some cases at ED’s discretion, the posting of letters of credit or other securities.

The Defense to Repayment regulations could require Adtalem to post multiple and substantial letters of credit or other securities in connection with, among other things, certain pending and future claims, investigations, and program reviews, regardless of the merits of our actions or available defenses, or, potentially, the severity of any findings or facts stipulated. The aggregate amount of these letters of credit or other required security could materially and adversely limit our borrowing capacity under our credit agreement and our ability to make capital expenditures and other investments aimed at growing and diversifying our operations, sustain and fund our operations, and make dividend payments to shareholders. Adtalem’s credit agreement allows Adtalem to post up to $100 million in letters of credit. In the event Adtalem is required to post letters of credit in excess of the $100 million limit, Adtalem would be required to seek an amendment to its credit

27

Table of Contents

agreement or seek an alternative means of providing security required by ED. Adtalem may not be able to obtain the excess letters of credit or security or may only be able to obtain such excess letters of credit or security at significant cost. This $100 million limit increased to $400 million under the New Credit Agreement (as defined in Note 13 “Debt” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”), which became effective and replaced the previous credit agreement on August 12, 2021. See Note 13 “Debt” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for additional information on the New Credit Agreement.

We are subject to risks relating to regulatory matters. If we fail to comply with the extensive regulatory requirements for our operations, we could face fines and penalties, including loss of access to federal and state student financial aid for our students as well as significant civil liability.

As a provider of higher education, we are subject to extensive regulation. These regulatory requirements cover virtually all phases and aspects of our U.S. postsecondary operations, including educational program offerings, facilities, civil rights, safety, public health, privacy, instructional and administrative staff, administrative procedures, marketing and recruiting, financial operations, payment of refunds to students who withdraw, acquisitions or openings of new schools or programs, addition of new educational programs, and changes in our corporate structure and ownership.

In particular, in the U.S., the HEA subjects schools that participate in the various federal student financial aid programs under Title IV, which includes Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM, to significant regulatory scrutiny. Adtalem’s Title IV Institutions collectively receive 71% of their revenue from Title IV programs. As a result, the suspension, limitation, or termination of the eligibility of any of our institutions to participate in Title IV programs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

To participate in Title IV programs, an institution must receive and maintain authorization by the appropriate state education agencies, be accredited by an accrediting commission recognized by ED, and be certified by ED as an eligible institution, which ultimately is accomplished through the execution of a PPA.

Our institutions that participate in Title IV programs each do so pursuant to a PPA that, among other things, includes commitments to abide by all applicable laws and regulations, such as Incentive Compensation and Substantial Misrepresentation. Alleged violations of such laws or regulations may form the basis of civil actions for violation of state and/or federal false claims statutes predicated on violations of a PPA, including pursuant to lawsuits brought by private plaintiffs on behalf of governments (qui tam actions), that have the potential to generate very significant damages linked to our receipt of Title IV funding from the government over a period of several years.

Government budgetary pressures and changes to laws governing financial aid programs could reduce our student enrollment or delay our receipt of tuition payments.

Our Title IV Institutions collectively receive 71% of their revenue from Title IV programs. As a result, any reductions in funds available to our students or any delays in payments to us under Title IV programs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Action by the U.S. Congress to revise the laws governing the federal student financial aid programs or reduce funding for those programs could reduce Adtalem’s student enrollment and/or increase its costs of operation. Political and budgetary concerns significantly affect Title IV programs. The U.S. Congress enacted the HEA to be reauthorized on a periodic basis, which most recently occurred in August 2008. The 2008 reauthorization of the HEA made significant changes to the requirements governing Title IV programs, including changes that, among other things:

28

Table of Contents

Congress passed the Rescue Act, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021. It includes language permanently modifying the 90/10 Rule. This modification expands the rule to include additional federal aid programs, including GI Bill benefits, in the 90% calculation. The provision was modified in the Senate by a bipartisan amendment offered by Senators Morgan (R-KS) and Carper (D-DE). The Moran-Carper amendment requires ED to begin a negotiated rulemaking process by October 1, 2021. The amendment further clarifies that the penalties associated with the modified 90/10 Rule will not go into effect until at least 2023 and possibly 2024, giving ED time to complete the rulemaking process and schools time to comply with the new requirements. There is no direct impact to Adtalem or its institutions.

In the 117^th Congress, a comprehensive HEA reauthorization bill has not been introduced. However, standalone bills impacting Title IV federal financial aid programs have been introduced in both chambers of Congress. Some of these bills could be included in a larger legislative package, which could include the HEA. When the HEA is reauthorized, existing programs and participation requirements are subject to change. Additionally, funding for student financial assistance programs may be impacted during appropriations and budget actions.

The U.S. Congress can change the laws affecting Title IV programs in annual federal appropriations bills and other laws it enacts between the HEA reauthorizations. At this time, Adtalem cannot predict any or all of the changes that the U.S. Congress may ultimately make. Since a significant percentage of Adtalem’s revenue is tied to Title IV programs, any action by the U.S. Congress that significantly reduces Title IV program funding or the ability of Adtalem’s degree-granting institutions or students to participate in Title IV programs could have a material adverse effect on Adtalem’s business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. Certain provisions in proposed legislation, if enacted, or implementation of existing or future law by a current or future administration, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including but not limited to legislation that limits the enrollment of U.S. citizens in foreign medical schools and legislation that could require institutions to share in the risk of defaulted federal student loans.

Additionally, a shutdown of government agencies, such as ED, responsible for administering student financial aid programs under Title IV could lead to delays in student eligibility determinations and delays in origination and disbursement of government-funded student loans to our students.

Our ability to comply with some ED regulations is affected by economic forces affecting our students and graduates that are not entirely within our control.

Our ability to comply with several ED regulations is not entirely within our control. In particular, our ability to participate in federal Title IV programs is dependent on the ability of our past students to avoid default on student loans, obtain employment, and pay for a portion of their education with private funds. These factors are heavily influenced by broader economic drivers, including the personal or family wealth of our students, the overall employment outlook for their area of study, and the availability of private financing sources. An economic downturn, or a worsening economic outlook resulting from COVID-19, among other things, could impact these factors, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operation, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

ED rules prohibiting “substantial misrepresentation” are very broad. As a result, we face increased exposure to litigation arising from student and prospective student complaints and enforcement actions by ED that could restrict or eliminate our eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

ED regulations in effect for federal Stafford loans first disbursed between July 1, 2017 and July 1, 2020 prohibit any “substantial misrepresentation” by our Title IV Institutions, employees, and agents regarding the nature of the institution’s educational programs, its financial charges, or the employability of its graduates. These regulations may, among other things, subject us to sanctions for statements containing errors made to non-students, including any member of the public,

29

Table of Contents

impose liability on us for the conduct of others and expose us to liability even when no actual harm occurs. A “substantial misrepresentation” is any misrepresentation on which the person to whom it was made could reasonably be expected to rely, or has reasonably relied, to that person’s detriment. It is possible that despite our efforts to prevent misrepresentations, our employees or service providers may make statements that could be construed as substantial misrepresentations. As a result, we may face complaints from students and prospective students over statements made by us and our agents in advertising and marketing, during the enrollment, admissions and financial aid process, and throughout attendance at any of our Title IV Institutions, which would expose us to increased risk of enforcement action and applicable sanctions or other penalties, including potential Defense to Repayment liabilities, and increased risk of private qui tam actions under the Federal False Claims Act. If ED determines that an institution has engaged in substantial misrepresentation, ED may (1) fine the institution; (2) discharge students’ debt and hold the institution liable for the discharged debt under the HEA and the Defense to Repayment regulations; and/or (3) suspend or terminate an institution’s participation in Title IV programs. Alternatively, ED may impose certain other limitations on the institution’s participation in Title IV programs, which could include the denial of applications for approval of new programs or locations, a requirement to post a substantial letter of credit, or the imposition of one of ED’s heightened cash monitoring processes. Any of the forgoing actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Regulations governing the eligibility of our U.S. degree-granting institutions to participate in Title IV programs preclude us from compensating any employee or third-party involved in student recruitment, admissions, or the awarding of financial aid based on their success in those areas. These regulations could limit our ability to attract and retain highly-qualified employees, to sustain and grow our business, or to develop or acquire businesses that would not otherwise be subject to such regulations.

An educational institution participating in Title IV programs may not pay any commission, bonus, or other incentive payments to any person involved in student recruitment or awarding of Title IV program funds, if such payments are based directly or indirectly in any part on success in enrolling students or obtaining student financial aid. We endeavor to ensure our compliance with these regulations and have numerous controls and procedures in place to do so, but cannot be sure that our regulators will not determine that the compensation that we have paid our employees do not violate these regulations. Our limited ability to compensate our employees based on their performance of their job responsibilities could make it more difficult to attract and retain highly-qualified employees. These regulations may also impair our ability to sustain and grow our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

A failure to demonstrate financial responsibility or administrative capability may result in the loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

All of our Title IV Institutions are subject to meeting financial and administrative standards. These standards are assessed through annual compliance audits, periodic renewal of institutional PPAs, periodic program reviews, and ad hoc events which may lead ED to evaluate an institution’s financial responsibility or administrative capability. The administrative capability criteria require, among other things, that our institutions (1) have an adequate number of qualified personnel to administer Title IV programs, (2) have adequate procedures for disbursing and safeguarding Title IV funds and for maintaining records, (3) submit all required reports and consolidated financial statements in a timely manner, and (4) not have significant problems that affect the institution’s ability to administer Title IV programs. If ED determines, in its judgment, that one of our Title IV Institutions has failed to demonstrate either financial responsibility or administrative capability, we could be subject to additional conditions to participating, including, among other things, a requirement to post a letter of credit, suspension or termination of our eligibility to participate in Title IV programs, or repayment of funds received under Title IV programs, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. ED has considerable discretion under the regulations to impose the foregoing sanctions and, in some cases, such sanctions could be imposed without advance notice or any prior right of review or appeal. Although no definite calculations have been performed, as a result of the acquisition of Walden and the related transactions, Adtalem expects its consolidated composite score to fall below 1.5 at its next financial responsibility test. If Adtalem becomes unable to meet requisite financial responsibility standards within the regulations, management believes it will be able to otherwise demonstrate its ability to continue to provide educational services; however, our institutions could still be subject to heightened cash

30

Table of Contents

monitoring or be required to post a letter of credit to continue to participate in federal and state financial assistance programs.

If ED does not recertify any one of our institutions to continue participating in Title IV programs, students at that institution would lose their access to Title IV program funds. Alternatively, ED could recertify our institutions but require our institutions to accept significant limitations as a condition of their continued participation in Title IV programs.

ED certification to participate in Title IV programs lasts a maximum of six years, and institutions are thus required to seek recertification from ED on a regular basis in order to continue their participation in Title IV programs. An institution must also apply for recertification by ED if it undergoes a change in control, as defined by ED regulations.

Each of our Title IV Institutions operates under a PPA. There can be no assurance that ED will recertify an institution after its PPA expires or that ED will not limit the period of recertification to participate in Title IV programs to less than six years, place the institution on provisional certification, or impose conditions or other restrictions on the institution as a condition of granting our application for recertification. If ED does not renew or withdraws the certification to participate in Title IV programs for one or more of our institutions at any time, students at such institution would no longer be able to receive Title IV program funds. Alternatively, ED could (1) renew the certifications for an institution, but restrict or delay receipt of Title IV funds, limit the number of students to whom an institution could disburse such funds, or place other restrictions on that institution, or (2) delay recertification after an institution’s PPA expires, in which case the institution’s certification would continue on a month-to-month basis, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the businesses, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of the institution or Adtalem as a whole and could result in the imposition of significant restrictions on the ability of the institution or Adtalem as a whole to operate.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020 and the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, ED provisionally recertified AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM’s Title IV PPAs with expiration dates of December 31, 2022, March 31, 2023, and June 30, 2023, respectively. The provisional nature of the agreements stemmed from increased and/or repeated Title IV compliance audit findings. No financial ramifications, such as a letter of credit, heightened cash monitoring, or student enrollment limitations, were imposed on any of these institutions. While corrective actions have been taken to resolve past compliance matters and eliminate the incidence of repetition, if AUC, RUSM, or RUSVM fail to maintain administrative capability as defined by ED while under provisional status or otherwise fail to comply with ED requirements, the institution(s) could lose eligibility to participate in Title IV programs or have that eligibility adversely conditioned, which could have a material adverse effect on the businesses, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

If we fail to maintain our institutional accreditation or if our institutional accrediting body loses recognition by ED, we would lose our ability to participate in Title IV programs.

The loss of institutional accreditation by any of our Title IV Institutions would leave the affected institution ineligible to participate in Title IV programs and would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. In addition, an adverse action by any of our institutional accreditors other than loss of accreditation, such as issuance of a warning, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Increased scrutiny of accreditors by the Secretary of Education in connection with ED’s recognition process may result in increased scrutiny of institutions by accreditors or have other consequences.

If regulators do not approve, or delay their approval, of transactions involving a material change of ownership or change of control of Adtalem, the eligibility of our institutions to participate in Title IV programs, our institutions’ accreditations and our institutions’ state licenses may be impaired in a manner that materially and adversely affects our business.

Any material change of ownership or change of control of Adtalem, depending on the type of change, may have significant regulatory consequences for each of our Title IV Institutions. Such a change of ownership or control could require recertification by ED, the reevaluation of accreditation by each institution’s accreditors and/or reauthorization by each institutions’ state licensing agencies. If Adtalem experiences a material change of ownership or change of control, then our Title IV Institutions may cease to be eligible to participate in Title IV programs until recertified by ED. The

31

Table of Contents

continuing participation of each of our Title IV Institutions in Title IV programs is critical to our business. Any disruption in an institution’s eligibility to participate in Title IV programs would materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow.

In addition, each Title IV Institution is required to report any material change in stock ownership to its principal institutional accrediting body and would generally be required to obtain approval prior to undergoing any transaction that affects, or may affect, its corporate control or governance. In the event of any such change, each of our institution’s accreditors may undertake an evaluation of the effect of the change on the continuing operations of our institution for purposes of determining if continued accreditation is appropriate, which evaluation may include a comprehensive review. If our accreditors determine that the change is such that prior approval was required, but was not obtained, many of our accreditors’ policies require the accreditor to consider withdrawal of accreditation. If certain accreditation is suspended or withdrawn with respect to any of our Title IV Institutions, they would not be eligible to participate in Title IV programs until the accreditation is reinstated or is obtained from another appropriate accrediting body. There is no assurance that reinstatement of accreditation could be obtained on a timely basis, if at all, and accreditation from a different qualified accrediting authority, if available, would require a significant amount of time. Any material disruption in accreditation would materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flow.

In addition, some states in which our Title IV Institutions are licensed require approval (in some cases, advance approval) of changes in ownership or control in order to remain authorized to operate in those states, and participation in grant programs in some states may be interrupted or otherwise affected by a change in ownership or control.

As of June 30, 2021, a substantial portion of our outstanding capital stock is owned by a small group of institutional shareholders. We cannot prevent a material change of ownership or change of control that could arise from a transfer of voting stock by any combination of those shareholders.

A bankruptcy filing by us or by any of our Title IV Institutions, or a closure of one of our Title IV Institutions, would lead to an immediate loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

In the event of a bankruptcy filing by Adtalem, all of our Title IV Institutions would lose their eligibility to participate in Title IV programs, pursuant to statutory provisions of the HEA, notwithstanding the automatic stay provisions of federal bankruptcy law, which would make any reorganization difficult to implement. Similarly, in the event of a bankruptcy filing by any of Adtalem’s subsidiaries that own a Title IV Institution, such institution would lose its eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. In the event of any bankruptcy affecting one or more of our Title IV Institutions, ED could hold our other Title IV Institutions jointly liable for any Title IV program liabilities, whether asserted or unasserted at the time of such bankruptcy, of the institution whose Title IV program eligibility was terminated.

Further, in the event that an institution closes and fails to pay liabilities or other amounts owed to ED, ED can attribute the liabilities of that institution to other institutions under common ownership. If any one of our Title IV Institutions were to close or have unpaid ED liabilities, ED could seek to have those liabilities repaid by one of our other Title IV Institutions.

Student loan defaults could result in the loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

Our Title IV Institutions may lose their eligibility to participate in Title IV programs if their student loan default rates are greater than standards set by ED. An educational institution may lose its eligibility to participate in some or all Title IV programs, if, for three consecutive federal fiscal years, 30% or more of its students who were required to begin repaying their student loans in the relevant federal fiscal year default on their payment by the end of the next two federal fiscal years. In addition, an institution may lose its eligibility to participate in some or all Title IV programs if its default rate for a federal fiscal year was greater than 40%. If any of our Title IV Institutions lose eligibility to participate in Title IV programs because of high student loan default rates, it would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. The latest period for which final three-year default rates data is available is fiscal year 2017. Default rates for Chamberlain, AUC, RUSM, and RUSVM students for fiscal year 2017 is 3.4%, 1.4%, 1.3%, and 0.9%, respectively.

32

Table of Contents

Our Title IV Institutions could lose their eligibility to participate in federal student financial aid programs if the percentage of their revenue derived from those programs were too high.

Our Title IV Institutions may lose eligibility to participate in Title IV programs if, on a cash basis, the percentage of the institution’s revenue derived from Title IV programs for two consecutive fiscal years is greater than 90% (the “90/10 Rule”). Further, if an institution exceeds the 90% threshold for any single fiscal year, ED could place that institution on provisional certification status for the institution’s following two fiscal years. If any of our Title IV Institutions lose eligibility to participate in Title IV programs because they are unable to comply with ED’s 90/10 Rule, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Our failure to comply with ED’s credit hour rule could result in sanctions and other liability.

In 2009 and 2010, ED’s Office of Inspector General criticized three accreditors, including the Higher Learning Commission (“HLC”), which is the accreditor for Chamberlain, for deficiency in their oversight of institutions’ credit hour allocations. In June 2010, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing concerning accrediting agencies’ standards for assessing institutions’ credit hour policies. The 2010 Program Integrity Regulations defined the term “credit hour” for the first time and required accrediting agencies to review the reliability and accuracy of an institution’s credit hour assignments. If an accreditor does not comply with this requirement, its recognition by ED could be jeopardized. If an accreditor identifies systematic or significant noncompliance in one or more of an institution’s programs, the accreditor must notify the Secretary of Education. If ED determines that an institution is out of compliance with the credit hour definition, ED could impose liabilities or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

If we fail to maintain any of our state authorizations, we would lose our ability to operate in that state and to participate in Title IV programs in that state.

Our Title IV Institutions must be authorized to operate by the appropriate postsecondary regulatory authority in each state in which the institution is located. Campuses of our Title IV Institutions are authorized to operate and grant degrees, diplomas, or certificates by the applicable education agency of the state in which each such campus is located. Many states are currently reevaluating and revising their authorization regulations, especially as applied to distance education. The loss of state authorization would, among other things, render the affected institution ineligible to participate in Title IV programs, at least at those state campus locations, and otherwise limit that school’s ability to operate in that state. Loss of authorization in one or more states could increase the likelihood of additional scrutiny and potential loss of operating and/or degree-granting authority in other states in which we operate, which would further impact our business. If these pressures and uncertainty continue in the future, or if one or more of our institutions are unable to offer programs in one or more states, it could have a material adverse impact on our enrollment, revenue, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

Our ability to place our medical schools’ students in hospitals in the U.S. may be limited by efforts of certain state government regulatory bodies, which may limit the growth potential of our medical schools, put our medical schools at a competitive disadvantage to other medical schools, or force our medical schools to substantially reduce their class sizes.

AUC and RUSM enter into affiliation agreements with hospitals across the U.S. to place their third and fourth year students in clinical programs at such hospitals. Certain states with regulatory programs that require state approval of clinical education programs have in recent years precluded, limited, or imposed onerous requirements on Adtalem’s entry into affiliation agreements with hospitals in their states. If these or other states continue to limit access to affiliation arrangements, our medical schools may be at a competitive disadvantage to other medical schools, and our medical schools may be required to substantially restrict their enrollment due to limited clinical opportunities for enrolled students. The impact on enrollment, and the potential for enrollment growth, of such restrictions on our medical schools’ clinical placements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

33

Table of Contents

Budget constraints in states that provide state financial aid to our students could reduce the amount of such financial aid that is available to our students, which could reduce our enrollment and adversely affect our 90/10 Rule percentage.

Some states are experiencing budget deficits and constraints. Some of these states have reduced or eliminated various student financial assistance programs or established minimum performance measures as a condition of participation, and additional states may do so in the future. If our students who receive this type of assistance cannot secure alternate sources of funding, they may be forced to withdraw, reduce the rate at which they seek to complete their education, or replace the source with more expensive forms of funding, such as private loans. Other students who would otherwise have been eligible for state financial assistance may not be able to enroll without such aid. This reduced funding could decrease our enrollment and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

In addition, the reduction or elimination of these non-Title IV sources of student funding may adversely affect our 90/10 Rule percentage.

We could be subject to sanctions if we fail to calculate accurately and make timely payment of refunds of Title IV program funds for students who withdraw before completing their educational program.

The HEA and ED regulations require us to calculate refunds of unearned Title IV program funds disbursed to students who withdraw from their educational program. If refunds are not properly calculated or timely paid, we may be required to post a letter of credit with ED or be subject to sanctions or other adverse actions by ED, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

A failure of our vendors to comply with applicable regulations in the servicing of our students and institutions could subject us to fines or restrictions on or loss of our ability to participate in Title IV programs.

We contract with unaffiliated entities for student software systems and services related to the administration of portions of our Title IV and financing programs. Because each of our institutions may be jointly and severally liable for the actions of third-party servicers and vendors, failure of such servicers to comply with applicable regulations could have a material adverse effect on our institutions, including fines and the loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs, which could have a material adverse effect on our enrollment, revenue, and results of operations and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. If any of our third-party servicers discontinues providing such services to us, we may not be able to replace such third-party servicer in a timely, cost-efficient, or effective manner, or at all, and we could lose our ability to comply with collection, lending, and Title IV requirements, which could have a material adverse effect our enrollment, revenue, and results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

We provide financing programs to assist some of our students in affording our educational offerings. These programs are subject to various federal and state rules and regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations could subject us to fines, penalties, obligations to discharge loans, and other injunctive requirements.

If we, or one of the companies that service our credit programs, do not comply with laws applicable to the financing programs that assist our students in affording our educational offerings, including Truth in Lending and Fair Debt Collections Practices laws and the Unfair, Deceptive or Abusive Acts or Practices provisions of Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, we could be subject to fines, penalties, obligations to discharge the debts, and other injunctive requirements, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate. Additionally, an adverse allegation, finding or outcome in any of these matters could also materially and adversely affect our ability to maintain, obtain or renew licenses, approvals or accreditation and maintain eligibility to participate in Title IV programs or serve as a basis for ED to discharge certain Title IV student loans and seek recovery for some or all of its resulting losses from us, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

34

Table of Contents

Release of confidential information could subject us to civil penalties or cause us to lose our eligibility to participate in Title IV programs.

As an educational institution participating in federal and state student assistance programs and collecting financial receipts from enrollees or their sponsors, we collect and retain certain confidential information. Such information is subject to federal and state privacy and security rules, including the Family Education Right to Privacy Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. Release or failure to secure confidential information or other noncompliance with these rules could subject us to fines, loss of our capacity to conduct electronic commerce, and loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV programs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We could be subject to sanctions if we fail to accurately and timely report sponsored students’ tuition, fees, and enrollment to the sponsoring agency.

A significant portion of our enrollment is sponsored through various federal and state supported agencies and programs, including the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We are required to periodically report tuition, fees, and enrollment to the sponsoring agencies. As a recipient of funds, we are subject to periodic reviews and audits. Inaccurate or untimely reporting could result in suspension or termination of our eligibility to participate in these federal and state programs and have a material adverse impact on enrollment and revenue, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Our enrollment may be adversely affected by presentations of data that are not representative of actual educational costs for our prospective students.

ED and other public policy organizations are concerned with the affordability of higher education and have developed various tools and resources to help students find low-cost educational alternatives. These resources primarily rely on and present data for first-time, full-time residential students, which is not representative of most of our prospective students. These presentations may influence some prospective students to exclude our institutions from their consideration, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Risks Related to Adtalem’s Business

Outbreaks of communicable infections or diseases, or other public health pandemics, such as the current global coronavirus outbreak and the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, in the locations in which we, our students, faculty, and employees live, work, and attend classes, could substantially harm our business.

Disease outbreaks and other public health conditions, such as the current outbreak of the coronavirus currently being experienced and the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, in the locations in which we, our students, faculty, and employees live, work, and attend classes could have a significant negative impact on our revenue, profitability, and business. We have developed and continue to develop plans to help mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus to our business including all classes having shifted to online learning, all employees working from home, practice containment, recovery and normalization scenario planning, and emergency succession planning. Students at AUC returned to campus in St. Maarten for the January 2021 semester. A limited number of RUSM students began returning to Barbados for the January and May 2021 semesters with a full return expected for the September 2021 semester. As of the May 2021 semester, all RUSVM basic science students have resumed classroom-based learning in St. Kitts. The coronavirus outbreak and the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines continues to be fluid and uncertain, making it difficult to forecast the final impact it could have on our future operations. If our business experiences prolonged occurrences of adverse public health conditions, such as the coronavirus, and the attendant stay-at-home orders or reinstatement of stay-at-home orders, we believe it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. We will continue to evaluate, and if appropriate, adopt other measures in the future required for the ongoing safety of our students and employees. COVID-19 resulted in estimated revenue losses of approximately $29 million, operating income losses of approximately $19 million and loss of earnings per share of approximately $0.28 in fiscal year 2020. In addition, Adtalem implemented a workforce reduction of 32 positions in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020 to become more cost effective in response to COVID-19. The resulting severance charge in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020 was

35

Table of Contents

not significant. COVID-19 resulted in estimated revenue losses of approximately $47 million, operating income losses of approximately $33 million and loss of earnings per share of approximately $0.50 in fiscal year 2021. Management anticipates further negative COVID-19 effects to consolidated revenue, net income, and earnings per share into fiscal year 2022 for as long as social distancing and other measures established to combat the virus continue. If our business results and financial condition were materially and adversely impacted, then assets such as accounts receivable, property and equipment, operating lease assets, intangible assets and goodwill could be impaired, requiring a possible write-off. As of June 30, 2021, intangible assets from business combinations totaled $276.2 million and goodwill totaled $686.4 million.

Natural disasters or other extraordinary events or political disruptions may cause us to close some of our schools.

We may experience business interruptions resulting from natural disasters, inclement weather, transit disruptions, political disruptions, or other events in one or more of the geographic areas in which we operate, particularly in the West Coast and Gulf States of the U.S., and the Caribbean. These events could cause us to close schools, temporarily or permanently, and could affect student recruiting opportunities in those locations, causing enrollment and revenue to decline, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Student enrollment at our schools is affected by legislative, regulatory, and economic factors that may change in ways we cannot predict. These factors outside our control limit our ability to assess our future enrollment effectively.

Our future revenue and growth depend on a number of factors, including many of the regulatory risks discussed above and business risks discussed below. Despite ongoing efforts to provide more scholarships to prospective students, and to increase quality and build our reputation, negative perceptions of the value of a college degree, increased reluctance to take on debt, and the resulting lower student consumer confidence may continue to impact enrollment in the future. In addition, technological innovations in the delivery of low-cost education alternatives and increased competition could negatively affect enrollment.

We are subject to risks relating to enrollment of students. If we are not able to continue to successfully recruit and retain our students, our revenue may decline.

Our undergraduate and graduate educational programs are concentrated in selected areas of medical and healthcare. If applicant career interests or employer needs shift away from these fields, and we do not anticipate or adequately respond to that trend, future enrollment and revenue may decline and the rates at which our graduates obtain jobs involving their fields of study could decline.

If our graduates are unable to find appropriate employment opportunities or obtain professional licensure or certification, we may not be able to recruit new students.

If employment opportunities for our graduates in fields related to their educational programs decline or they are unable to obtain professional licenses or certifications in their chosen fields, future enrollment and revenue may decline as potential applicants choose to enroll at other educational institutions or providers.

We face heightened competition in the postsecondary education market from both public and private educational institutions.

Postsecondary education in our existing and new market areas is highly competitive and is becoming increasingly so. We compete with traditional public and private two-year and four-year colleges, other proprietary schools, and alternatives to higher education. Some of our competitors, both public and private, have greater financial and nonfinancial resources than us. Some of our competitors, both public and private, are able to offer programs similar to ours at a lower tuition level for a variety of reasons, including the availability of direct and indirect government subsidies, government and foundation grants, large endowments, tax-deductible contributions, and other financial resources not available to proprietary institutions, or by providing fewer student services or larger class sizes. An increasing number of traditional colleges and community colleges are offering distance learning and other online education programs, including programs that are geared towards the needs of working adults. This trend has been accelerated by private companies that provide and/or manage online learning platforms for traditional colleges and community colleges. As the proportion of traditional colleges providing alternative learning modalities increases, we will face increasing competition for students from traditional

36

Table of Contents

colleges, including colleges with well-established reputations for excellence. As the online and distance learning segment of the postsecondary education market matures, we believe that the intensity of the competition we face will continue to increase. This intense competition could make it more challenging for us to enroll students who are likely to succeed in our educational programs, which could adversely affect our new student enrollment levels and student persistence and put downward pressure on our tuition rates, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

The personal information that we collect may be vulnerable to breach, theft, or loss that could adversely affect our reputation and operations.

Possession and use of personal information in our operations subjects us to risks and costs that could harm our business. We collect, use, and retain large amounts of personal information regarding our students and their families, including social security numbers, tax return information, personal and family financial data, and credit card numbers. We also collect and maintain personal information of our employees and contractors in the ordinary course of our business. Some of this personal information is held and managed by certain of our vendors. Confidential information also may become available to third parties inadvertently when we integrate or convert computer networks into our network following an acquisition or in connection with system upgrades from time to time.

Due to the sensitive nature of the information contained on our networks, such as students’ financial information and grades, our networks may be targeted by hackers. For example, in December 2020 it was widely reported that SolarWinds, an information technology company, was the subject of a cyberattack that created security vulnerabilities for thousands of its clients. We identified a single server in our environment with SolarWinds software installed. It is important to note that this single server was used only for IP address management and was not configured in a manner that could allow for system compromise. Out of an abundance of caution, we promptly took steps to deactivate the server after applying all vendor recommended patches and hotfixes. We also scanned the environment to validate that there were no indicators of compromise related to the software. While we believe there were no compromises to our operations as a result of this attack, other similar attacks could have a significant negative impact on our systems and operations. Anyone who circumvents security measures could misappropriate proprietary or confidential information or cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations. Although we use security and business controls to limit access and use of personal information, a third-party may be able to circumvent those security and business controls, which could result in a breach of privacy. In addition, errors in the storage, use, or transmission of personal information could result in a breach of privacy. Possession and use of personal information in our operations also subjects us to legislative and regulatory burdens that could require notification of data breaches and restrict our use of personal information. We cannot assure that a breach, loss, or theft of personal information will not occur. A breach, theft, or loss of personal information regarding our students and their families, customers, employees, or contractors that is held by us or our vendors could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and results of operations and result in liability under state and federal privacy statutes and legal actions by federal or state authorities and private litigants, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate.

System disruptions and vulnerability from security risks to our computer network or information systems could severely impact our ability to serve our existing students and attract new students.

The performance and reliability of our computer networks and system applications, especially online educational platforms and student operational and financial aid packaging applications, are critical to our reputation and ability to attract and retain students. System errors, disruptions or failures, including those arising from unauthorized access, computer hackers, computer viruses, denial of service attacks, and other security threats, could adversely impact our delivery of educational content to our students or result in delays and/or errors in processing student financial aid and related disbursements. Such events could have a material adverse effect on the reputation of our institutions, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. We may be required to expend significant resources to protect against system errors, failures or disruptions, or the threat of security breaches, or to repair or otherwise mitigate problems caused by any actual errors, disruptions, failures, or breaches. We cannot ensure that these efforts will protect our computer networks, or fully mitigate the resulting impact of interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, despite our regular monitoring of our technology infrastructure security and business continuity plans.

37

Table of Contents

Government regulations relating to the internet could increase our cost of doing business and affect our ability to grow.

The use of the internet and other online services has led to and may lead to the adoption of new laws and regulations in the U.S. or foreign countries and to new interpretations of existing laws and regulations. These new laws, regulations, and interpretations may relate to issues such as online privacy, copyrights, trademarks and service marks, sales taxes, value-added taxes, withholding taxes, cost of internet access, and services, allocation, and apportionment of income amongst various state, local, and foreign jurisdictions, fair business practices, and the requirement that online education institutions qualify to do business as foreign corporations or be licensed in one or more jurisdictions where they have no physical location or other presence. New laws, regulations, or interpretations related to doing business over the internet could increase our costs and materially and adversely affect our enrollment, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Our ability to open new campuses, offer new programs, and add capacity is dependent on regulatory approvals and requires financial and human resources.

As part of our strategy, we intend to open new campuses, offer new educational programs, and add capacity to certain existing locations. Such actions require us to obtain appropriate federal, state, and accrediting agency approvals. In addition, adding new locations, programs, and capacity may require significant financial investments and human resource capabilities. The failure to obtain appropriate approvals or to properly allocate financial and human resources could adversely impact our future growth.

We may not be able to attract, retain, and develop key employees necessary for our operations and the successful execution of our strategic plans.

We may be unable to attract, retain, and develop key employees with appropriate educational qualifications and experience. Regulatory and other legal actions and the claims contained in these actions may have diminished our reputation, and these actions and the resulting negative publicity may have decreased interest by potential employees. In addition, we may be unable to effectively plan and prepare for changes in key employees. Such matters may cause us to incur higher wage expense and/or provide less student support and customer service, which could adversely affect enrollment, revenue, and expense. A significant amount of our compensation for key employees is tied to our financial performance. We may require new employees in order to execute some of our strategic plans. Uncertainty regarding our future financial performance may limit our ability to attract new employees with competitive compensation or increase our cost of recruiting and retaining such new employees.

We may not be able to successfully identify, pursue, or integrate acquisitions.

As part of our strategy, we are actively considering acquisition opportunities primarily in the U.S. We have acquired and expect to acquire additional education institutions or education related businesses that complement our strategic direction, some of which could be material to our operations. Any acquisition involves significant risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to:

Expansion into new international markets will subject us to risks inherent in international operations.

As part of our strategy, we may continue to expand internationally. To the extent that we expand internationally, we will face risks that are inherent in international operations including, but not limited to:

38

Table of Contents

Proposed changes in, or lapses of, U.S. tax laws regarding earnings from international operations could adversely affect our financial results.

Our effective tax rate could be subject to volatility or be adversely impacted by changes to federal tax laws governing the taxation of foreign earnings of U.S. based companies. For example, recent changes to U.S. tax laws significantly impacted how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. Numerous countries are evaluating their existing tax laws, due in part to recommendations made by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (“OECD’s”) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) project, including the imposition of a global minimum tax. In addition, the recent U.S. tax law changes, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), are subject to further interpretations from U.S. federal and state governments and regulatory organizations, such as the Treasury Department and/or Internal Revenue Service, and this could change the provisional tax liability or the accounting treatment of the provisional tax liability based on updated guidance and interpretations. A significant portion of the additional provisions for income taxes we have made due to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”) is payable by us over a period of up to eight years. As a result, our cash flows from operating activities will be adversely impacted until the additional tax provisions are paid in full. In addition, Adtalem has benefitted from the ability to enter into international intercompany arrangements without incurring U.S. taxation due to a law, which expires in fiscal year 2026, deferring U.S. taxation of “foreign personal holding company income” such as foreign income from dividends, interest, rents, and royalties. If this law is not extended, or a similar law adopted, our consolidated tax provision would be impacted beginning in our fiscal year 2027, and we may not be able to allocate international capital optimally without realizing U.S. income taxes, which would increase our effective income tax rate and adversely impact our earnings and cash flows.

Changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns could adversely affect our results.

Our future effective tax rates could be subject to volatility or adversely affected by: earnings being lower than anticipated in countries where we have lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated earnings in countries where we have higher statutory rates; changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; expiration of or lapses in various tax law provisions; tax treatment of stock-based compensation; costs related to intercompany or other restructurings; or other changes in tax rates, laws, regulations, accounting principles, or interpretations thereof. In addition, we are subject to examination of our income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes. Although we have accrued tax and related interest for potential adjustments to tax liabilities for prior years, there can be no assurance that the outcomes from these continuous examinations will not have a material effect, either positive or negative, on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our goodwill and intangible assets potentially could be impaired if our business results and financial condition were materially and adversely impacted by risks and uncertainties.

Adtalem’s market capitalization can be affected by, among other things, changes in industry or market conditions, changes in results of operations, and changes in forecasts or market expectations related to future results. If our market capitalization were to remain below its carrying value for a sustained period of time or if such a decline becomes indicative

39

Table of Contents

that the fair values of our reporting units have declined below their carrying values, an impairment test may result in a non-cash impairment charge. As of June 30, 2021, intangible assets from business combinations totaled $276.2 million and goodwill totaled $686.4 million. Together, these assets equaled 32% of total assets as of such date. If our business results and financial condition were materially and adversely impacted, then such intangible assets and goodwill could be impaired, requiring a possible write-off of up to $276.2 million of intangible assets and up to $686.4 million of goodwill.

Risks Related to Acquisition

The Acquisition will involve substantial costs.

We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, a number of non-recurring costs associated with the Acquisition. The majority of the non-recurring expenses will consist of transaction and regulatory costs related to the Acquisition. We will also incur transaction fees and costs related to formulating and implementing integration plans, including system consolidation costs and employment-related costs. We continue to assess the magnitude of these costs, and additional unanticipated costs may be incurred from the Acquisition and integration. Although we anticipate that the elimination of duplicative costs and the realization of other efficiencies and synergies related to the integration should allow us to offset integration-related costs over time, this net benefit may not be achieved in the near term, or at all.

In connection with the Acquisition, we will incur additional indebtedness, which could adversely affect Adtalem, including our business flexibility and will increase our interest expense.

We will have increased indebtedness following completion of the Acquisition in comparison to our recent historical basis, which could have the effect, among other things, of reducing our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions and increasing our interest expense. We will also incur various costs and expenses related to the financing of the Acquisition. The amount of cash required to pay interest on our increased indebtedness following completion of the Acquisition and thereby the demands on our cash resources will be greater than the amount of cash flow required to service our indebtedness prior to the Acquisition. The increased levels of indebtedness following completion of the Acquisition could also reduce funds available for working capital, capital expenditures, and other general corporate purposes, and may create competitive disadvantages for us relative to other companies with lower debt levels. If we do not achieve the expected synergies and cost savings from the Acquisition, or if our financial performance after the Acquisition does not meet our current expectations, then our ability to service the indebtedness may be adversely impacted.

Despite current indebtedness levels, we may still be able to incur substantially more debt, including secured debt, which could further exacerbate the risks we face.

After giving effect to (a) the consummation of the Acquisition, (b) the issuance of the 5.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the “Notes”), (c) the delivery of collateral to any escrow accounts and entry into commitment letters by Adtalem in connection therewith, (d) entry into and incurrence of borrowings under the New Credit Facility (as defined below) and the application of the net proceeds thereof, (e) the amendment of, repayment of and termination of Adtalem’s Credit Agreement (as defined below), (f) the merger of the Escrow Issuer (as defined below) with and into Adtalem, with Adtalem as the surviving entity, and (g) all other transactions related or incidental to, or in connection with, any of the foregoing (including, without limitation, the payment of fees and expenses in connection with each of the foregoing), we are a highly leveraged company.

We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, including secured indebtedness secured by different collateral to which the Notes would be effectively junior and indebtedness of non-guarantor subsidiaries to which the Notes would be structurally subordinated. The expected terms of our New Credit Facility and the indenture that will govern the Notes will limit, but not prohibit, us or our subsidiaries from incurring additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness, but these limits are subject to significant exceptions and do not limit liabilities that do not constitute debt. If we or the guarantors incur any additional indebtedness secured by the collateral on the same first priority basis, the holders of that indebtedness will be entitled to share ratably with the lenders under the New Credit Facility and holders of the Notes and the guarantees offered hereby in any proceeds of the collateral distributed in connection with any insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding-up of our company. In addition, our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences. For example, it could:

40

Table of Contents

If new indebtedness is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we and our subsidiaries now face could intensify.

We and our subsidiaries may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness following the Acquisition, including the Notes, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

Our ability following the Acquisition to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations, including payments expected on the Notes, depends on our and our subsidiaries’ financial condition and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, competitive, legislative, regulatory, and other factors beyond our control. As a result, we may not be able to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities following the Acquisition sufficient to permit us to pay the principal and interest on our indebtedness. In addition, because we conduct a significant portion of our operations through our subsidiaries, repayment of our indebtedness is also dependent on the generation of cash flow by our subsidiaries and their ability to make such cash available to us by dividend, debt repayment, or otherwise. Our subsidiaries are distinct legal entities and, other than the Escrow Issuer prior to the Escrow Merger (as defined below) and the Assumption (as defined below) and the guarantors thereafter, they do not have any obligation to pay amounts due on the Notes or to make funds available for that purpose or for other obligations. Pursuant to applicable state limited liability company laws and other laws and regulations, our non-guarantor subsidiaries may not be able to, or may not be permitted to, make distributions to us in order to enable us to make payments in respect of the Notes. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our non-guarantor subsidiaries, we may be unable to make required principal and interest payments on our indebtedness.

In addition, there can be no assurance that following the Acquisition our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations, or that future borrowings will be available to us under our New Revolver (as defined below) in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness, including the Notes, or to fund our other liquidity needs. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, or to sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness, including the Notes. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. Our ability to restructure or refinance our debt will depend on the condition of the capital markets, which are currently experiencing significant volatility during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments and the indenture governing the Notes may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives.

If we cannot make scheduled payments on our indebtedness, we will be in default, and holders of the Notes could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable, the lenders under the credit facilities could terminate their commitments to loan money, our secured lenders (including the lenders under the credit facilities and the holders of the Notes) could foreclose against the assets securing their loans and the Notes and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

41

Table of Contents

The combined company may be unable to successfully integrate the business of Adtalem and the Walden business acquired in the Acquisition and realize the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition.

The success of the Acquisition will depend, in part, on the combined company’s ability to successfully combine the business of Adtalem and the Walden business acquired in the Acquisition, and realize the anticipated benefits, including synergies, cost savings, innovation, and operational efficiencies, from the combination. If the combined company is unable to achieve these objectives within the anticipated time frame, or at all, the anticipated benefits may not be realized fully or at all, or may take longer to realize than expected and the combined company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows, and the value of its common stock may be harmed. Additionally, rating agencies may take negative actions against the combined company.

The Acquisition involves the integration of certain Walden assets of Laureate with Adtalem’s existing business, which is expected to be a complex, costly, and time-consuming process. The integration may result in material challenges, including, without limitation:

Many of these factors will be outside of the combined company’s control and any one of them could result in delays, increased costs, decreases in the amount of expected revenues, and diversion of management’s time and energy, which could materially affect the combined company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

The integration of Walden with Adtalem’s business may result in unforeseen expenses, and the anticipated benefits of the integration plan may not be realized. These integration matters could have an adverse effect on (i) each of Adtalem and Walden during this transition period and (ii) the combined company for an undetermined period after completion of the Acquisition. In addition, any actual cost savings of the Acquisition could be less than anticipated.

Risks Related to Shareholder Activism

Shareholder activism, including public criticism of Adtalem or our management team, may adversely affect us.

In recent years, shareholder activism involving corporate governance, fiduciary duties of directors and officers, strategic direction and operations has become increasingly prevalent. Since December 2020, investors communications to our Board of Directors, among other things, urged our Board of Directors to focus on the following aspects of our business: (i) consider all options to terminate the Acquisition, (ii) sell the medical schools and the financial services assets, (iii) following the sale of the medical schools and the financial services assets, eliminate the holding company structure, (iv) rationalize the cost structure, (v) make changes to the composition of our management and board, (vi) separate the Chairman and CEO roles, and (vii) review the current management compensation structure. Other recent communications from the investors to our Board of Directors, among other things, urged our Board of Directors to execute the following initiatives: (a) investigate the allegations by the DOJ that Walden University may have violated the federal False Claims Act and explore all possible options for terminating the Acquisition, (b) make changes to the composition of our management to include persons with significant operational and industry experience, (c) separate the Chairman and CEO roles, (d) eliminate our holding company structure and divest the financial services division, and (e) take certain steps to

42

Table of Contents

reduce corporate overhead and redundancies. Additional investor communications to our Board of Directors shared concerns regarding the quality of the assets associated with the Acquisition.

Responding to actions by activist shareholders could be costly and time-consuming, disrupt our operations and divert the attention of management and our employees. Additionally, any perceived uncertainties as to our future direction, strategy or leadership created as a consequence of these letters or other activist shareholder initiatives may adversely affect our business or cause our share price to experience periods of volatility or stagnation.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

Adtalem’s leased facilities are occupied under leases whose remaining terms range from 1 to 11 years. A majority of these leases contain provisions giving Adtalem the right to terminate early or renew its lease for additional periods at various rental rates, although generally at rates higher than are currently being paid. Adtalem’s owned facilities total approximately 883,000 square feet worldwide. No facility that is owned by Adtalem is subject to a mortgage or other indebtedness.

Adtalem is leasing space to DeVry University at three facilities owned by Adtalem. Adtalem is subleasing space, in full or in part, at an additional 12 facilities, of which 7 are subleased to DeVry University and/or Carrington. Adtalem remains the primary lessee on the 12 underlying leases. These lease and sublease agreements were entered into at comparable market rates and the terms range from one to five years.

Medical and Healthcare

Chamberlain

Chamberlain’s home office is located in Chicago, Illinois. Chamberlain currently operates 23 campuses in various U.S. locations, of which 3 are in Adtalem owned locations and 20 in leased facilities. Chamberlain’s total portfolio of academic and administrative operations comprise approximately 1.0 million square feet.

AUC

AUC’s nine-acre campus is located in St. Maarten. The campus is owned and includes approximately 240,000 square feet of academic, student-life, and student residence facilities. In addition to classrooms and auditoriums, educational facilities include a gross anatomy lab, a multi-purpose learning lab, library and learning resource centers, offices, cafeteria, and recreational space facilities. The AUC campus is also supported by administrative staff located in office space in Miramar and Pembroke Pines, Florida.

RUSM

RUSM’s campus is located in Barbados and is comprised of approximately 474,000 square feet of leased facilities. Educational facilities include 102,000 square feet of classrooms, labs for anatomy and radiology imaging, simulation, physiology and pathology, exam rooms, private and group study, and faculty and administrative space. A residential village includes 5,000 square feet of administrative student services space surrounded by shopping and recreational facilities and over 400 multi-bedroom student units totaling 367,000 square feet. The RUSM campus is also supported by administrative staff located in office space in Miramar and Pembroke Pines, Florida.

RUSVM

RUSVM’s 50-acre campus is located in St. Kitts. The campus is owned and includes approximately 253,000 square feet. Educational facilities include an anatomy/clinical building, pathology building, research building with state-of-the-art necropsy lab, classroom buildings, administration building, bookstore, cafeteria, and a library/learning resource center. Animal care facilities include kennels, an aviary, and livestock barns. Student-life and student residence facilities are also

43

Table of Contents

located on the campus. The RUSVM campus is also supported by administrative staff located in office space in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

Financial Services

Financial Services leases approximately 40,000 square feet for its administrative operations in various U.S. and international locations. Becker classes are conducted in leased facilities, fewer than 10 of which are leased on a full-time basis. The remaining classes are conducted in facilities that are leased on an as-needed basis, allowing classes to be added, expanded, relocated, or closed as current enrollments require.

Home Office

Adtalem’s home office staff is located in a leased facility in Chicago, Illinois utilizing approximately 32,000 square feet of office space.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

For a discussion of legal proceedings, see Note 20 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

​

​

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

​

​

Information About Our Executive Officers

Our executive officers are as follows, along with each executive officer’s position, age, and business experience as of the date of this filing:

44

Table of Contents

45

Table of Contents

​

46

Table of Contents

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

Adtalem’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE Chicago under the symbol “ATGE.” The stock transfer agent and registrar for Adtalem’s common stock is Computershare Investor Services, L.L.C.

Security Holders

There were 322 current holders of record of Adtalem’s common stock as of August 12, 2021. The number of holders of record does not include beneficial owners of its securities whose shares are held by various brokerage firms, other financial institutions, Adtalem’s 401(k) Retirement Plan, and its Colleague Stock Purchase Plan.

Dividends

Adtalem did not pay any dividends in fiscal year 2020 or 2021. Adtalem does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future payment of dividends will be at the discretion of the Adtalem Board of Directors (the “Board”) and will be dependent on projections of future earnings, cash flow, financial requirements of Adtalem, and other factors as the Board deems relevant.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

See Item 12. “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following information describes Adtalem’s stock repurchases during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.

47

Table of Contents

Other Purchases of Equity Securities

Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total returns of Adtalem’s common stock, the NYSE Composite Index (U.S. Companies), and the Peer Group (as defined below) for the period from June 30, 2016 through June 30, 2021, assuming an investment of $100 in each on June 30, 2016 and also assumes the reinvestment of dividends. The stock price performance on the following graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock performance. The following graph is not “soliciting material,” is not deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is not incorporated by reference in any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act of 1934, whether made before or after the data of this Form 10-K and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filing.

48

Table of Contents

Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return

Among Adtalem Global Education Inc., NYSE Composite Index, and a Peer Group