Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	$ 855,933	$ 906,534
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Operating loss	(62,866)	(11,157)
Net loss	(120,353)	(102,446)
Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(122,807)	(103,167)
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	856,306	364,598	$ 464,965	$ 458,673
Other current assets	920,848		650,836
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $443,237 and $322,210, see Note 2)	1,777,154		1,115,801
Goodwill	2,012,964		1,934,464
Tradenames	1,328,526		1,307,633
Other intangible assets, net	45,840		46,700
Other long-term assets	2,746,107		2,657,872
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,433,048 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	7,910,591		7,062,470
Total current liabilities	1,791,522		1,440,232
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	4,572,879		4,601,013
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $550,340 and $424,297, see Note 2)	6,364,401		6,041,245
Total stockholders' equity	1,357,046		664,392
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	1,322,405		632,210
LatAm
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	1,305,780		1,235,952
EMEAA
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	189,142		180,720
Operating Segments
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	855,933	906,534
Operating Segments | LatAm
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	421,436	403,898
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,433,048 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	4,284,433		3,932,679
Operating Segments | EMEAA
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	227,184	244,013
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,433,048 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	1,351,464		1,333,297
Other operations
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Depreciation and amortization	64,514	66,207
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Operating loss	(62,866)	(11,157)
Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	30,558	48,103
Corporate and eliminations
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	(977)	(1,802)
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(132,429)	(121,962)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	141,549		169,074
Other current assets	301,688		153,136
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $443,237 and $322,210, see Note 2)	443,237		322,210
Goodwill	185,887		181,669
Tradenames	105,099		104,117
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	698,825		701,117
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,433,048 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	1,433,048		1,309,113
Total current liabilities	439,001		320,922
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	111,339		103,375
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $550,340 and $424,297, see Note 2)	550,340		424,297
Total stockholders' equity	882,708		884,816
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	863,848		$ 866,997
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	129,899	129,542
Depreciation and amortization	12,823	12,794
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Operating loss	(29,193)	(29,827)
Net loss	(20,112)	(29,559)
Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(20,936)	(29,308)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | LatAm
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	63,686	57,207
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Operating loss	(41,068)	(40,582)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | EMEAA
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	66,213	72,335
Operating (loss) income, by segment:
Operating loss	$ 11,875	$ 10,755