Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Laureate uses the liability method to account for income taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. For interim purposes, we also apply ASC 740-270, "Income Taxes - Interim Reporting." Laureate's income tax provisions for all periods consist of federal, state and foreign income taxes. The tax provisions for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 were based on estimated full-year effective tax rates, after giving effect to significant items related specifically to the interim periods, including the mix of income for the period between higher-taxed and lower-taxed jurisdictions. Laureate has operations in multiple countries, many of which have statutory tax rates lower than the United States or are tax-exempt entities, and other operations that are loss-making entities for which it is not more likely than not that a tax benefit will be realized on the loss. Generally, lower tax rates in these foreign jurisdictions along with Laureate’s intent and ability to indefinitely reinvest foreign earnings outside of the United States results in an effective tax rate significantly lower than the statutory rate in the United States. The income tax benefit recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2017 of $27,094 was primarily due to a discrete benefit of approximately $30,000 related to the reversal of income tax withholding on certain intercompany loans that were redesignated from temporary to permanent during the first quarter of 2017.

Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Laureate uses the liability method to account for income taxes. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. For interim purposes, we also apply ASC 740-270, "Income Taxes - Interim Reporting."

Laureate's income tax provisions for all periods consist of federal, state and foreign income taxes. The tax provisions for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 were based on estimated full-year effective tax rates, after giving effect to significant items related specifically to the interim periods, including the mix of income for the period between higher-taxed and lower-taxed jurisdictions. Laureate has operations in multiple countries, many of which have statutory tax rates lower than the United States or are tax-exempt entities, and other operations that are loss-making entities for which it is not more likely than not that a tax benefit will be realized on the loss. Generally, lower tax rates in these foreign jurisdictions along with Laureate’s intent and ability to indefinitely reinvest foreign earnings outside of the United States results in an effective tax rate significantly lower than the statutory rate in the United States. The income tax benefit recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2017 of $27,094 was primarily due to a discrete benefit of approximately $30,000 related to the reversal of income tax withholding on certain intercompany loans that were redesignated from temporary to permanent during the first quarter of 2017.