Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans, Percent Subject To Exercise Price Range

No definition available.

Name:	laur_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansPercentSubjectToExercisePriceRange
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-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=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-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=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

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

- 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

Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average per share amount at which grantees can acquire shares of common stock by exercise of options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=laur_ExecutiveProfitsInterestsMember
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_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Share-based Compensation - Stock Option Grant (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock compensation expense		$ 22,388	$ 7,080
Employee Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock compensation expense		19,281	$ 5,155
Chief Executive Officer \| Executive Profits Interests \| Employee Stock Option \| Class B Common Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options granted in the period (in shares)	2,773,000
Stock compensation expense		$ 14,600
Chief Executive Officer \| Executive Profits Interests \| Employee Stock Option \| Class B Common Stock \| Tranche One
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercise price of stock options granted in the period (in dollars per share)	$ 17.00
Percent of options subject to exercise price range	50.00%
Chief Executive Officer \| Executive Profits Interests \| Employee Stock Option \| Class B Common Stock \| Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercise price of stock options granted in the period (in dollars per share)	$ 21.32
Percent of options subject to exercise price range	50.00%