Share-based Compensation Arrangement By Share-based Payment Award, Plan Modification, Number Of Shares Affected

No definition available.

Name:	laur_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPlanModificationNumberOfSharesAffected
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement By Share-based Payment Award, Stock Option Repricing, Average Closing Price Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	laur_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardStockOptionRepricingAverageClosingPricePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested options awarded to employees as compensation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)-(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average price at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_WeightedAverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=laur_A2013LongTermIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Share-based Compensation and Equity - Equity Award Modifications (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 19, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock compensation expense not yet recognized, options						$ 5,443
Exercise prices (in dollars per share)					$ 19.30	$ 18.79	$ 21.81	$ 26.12
Number of stock options outstanding (in shares)					9,903	9,020	10,928	11,427
Employee Time Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock compensation expense					$ 15,000
Class A Common Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Average stock closing price period	20 days
Exercise prices (in dollars per share)	$ 17.44
Class A Common Stock \| Weighted Average
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share price (in dollars per share)	$ 17.44
Class B Common Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock options outstanding (in shares)	5,300
Class B Common Stock \| Employee Time Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock compensation expense			$ 5,100
Stock compensation expense not yet recognized, options					$ 2,500
2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercise prices (in dollars per share)		$ 23.20		$ 23.20
2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan \| Employee Time Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares affected in modification of stock options (in shares)		5,338
Stock compensation expense				$ 6,000
Stock compensation expense not yet recognized, options		$ 5,000		$ 5,000