Related Party Transactions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	Related Party Transactions Corporate Santa Fe University of Arts and Design (SFUAD) SFUAD is owned by Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership (Wengen), our controlling stockholder. Laureate is affiliated with SFUAD, but does not own or control it and, accordingly, SFUAD is not included in the financial results of Laureate. On May 18, 2016, SFUAD announced that it had signed an agreement to be acquired by a private education provider with a global network of colleges and universities that focus on art and design education. This agreement was terminated by the parties thereto on March 29, 2017. On April 12, 2017, SFUAD announced that it plans to close after the end of the 2017-2018 academic year and will work with its students on a phased teach-out and transfer process for students who are eligible to complete their degrees by May 2018 and appropriate transfer opportunities for other students. The teach-out plan is subject to approval by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Transactions between Laureate and Affiliates, Directors and a Former Executive During the first quarter of 2017, Laureate made a charitable contribution of $2,000 to the Sylvan Laureate Foundation, a non-profit foundation that supports programs designed to promote education and best practices and principles in teaching. The payment was accrued in prior periods. An affiliate of one of the Wengen investors acted as a financial adviser in connection with our IPO and we paid this affiliate $1,500 for its services during the six months ended June 30, 2017. During the six months ended June 30, 2017, we made payments of approximately $580 in the aggregate to members of our Board for their services as directors. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company paid in full a note payable to a former executive of approximately $4,280, which represented the original note payable of $3,771 plus accrued interest. As previously disclosed in our 2016 Form 10-K, the note payable was issued in 2014 in exchange for vested share-based compensation and was payable upon consummation of the IPO. EMEAA Morocco Transactions between Laureate and Noncontrolling Interest Holder of Laureate Somed Education Holding SA (LSEH) LSEH is 60% owned and consolidated by Laureate and is the entity that operates Université Internationale de Casablanca, our institution in Morocco. The 40% noncontrolling interest holder of LSEH has made loans to LSEH, and as of December 31, 2016, we had a related party payable of $7,936 to the noncontrolling interest holder for the outstanding balance of and accrued interest on these loans, all of which was recorded as current. During the six months ended June 30, 2017, the maturity dates of five loans made by the noncontrolling interest holder were extended. The first loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in December 2013 and the maturity date was extended from December 2016 to December 2018. The second loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in March 2015 and the maturity date was extended from September 2016 to September 2019. The third loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in June 2015 and the maturity date was extended from December 2016 to December 2018. The fourth loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in April 2014 and the maturity date was extended from April 2017 to April 2019. The fifth loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in October 2015 and the maturity date was extended from April 2017 to October 2019. The total outstanding balance of these five loans, including accrued interest, at the extension dates was Moroccan Dirham (MAD) 74,262 (approximately US $7,604 at June 30, 2017). Each of these loans bears an interest rate of 4.5% per annum. As of June 30, 2017, we had total related party payables of $8,476 to the noncontrolling interest holder of LSEH for the outstanding balance on these loans plus accrued interest, of which $844 and $7,632 was recorded as current and noncurrent, respectively. China Transactions between China businesses and Noncontrolling Interest Holders of HIEU A portion of real property that HIEU has paid for, including land and buildings, is mortgaged as collateral for corporate loans that the entity controlled by certain noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU has entered into with third-party banks. In December 2013, the noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU signed an agreement with Laureate and committed to: (1) remove all encumbrances on HIEU’s real property no later than September 30, 2014 and (2) cause the entity to complete the transfer of title relating to the encumbered real property to HIEU no later than December 31, 2014. Under the terms of this agreement, the noncontrolling interest holders also agreed to pay any and all transfer taxes, fees and other costs that are required in connection with the removal of the encumbrances and the transfer of titles, which are estimated to be approximately $2,000. As collateral for their performance under the agreement, the noncontrolling interest holders pledged to Laureate their 30% equity interest in the sponsoring entity of HIEU. The noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU have not completed their commitment to remove the encumbrances over the real property or completed the transfer of the real property. Under the terms of the agreement, Laureate has the right to receive the sale proceeds of the noncontrolling interest holders' 30% equity interest, up to the amount owing to it under the equity pledge, in priority to other creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders. On February 22, 2016, certain creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders initiated an enforcement process against the noncontrolling interest holders. The creditors have requested the court to auction a portion of the equity interest of the noncontrolling interest holders. The court auction was originally scheduled for March 2017; however no bids were received at the originally scheduled court auction. A subsequent auction was held but no purchase of the equity interest was finalized. As a result, the court has set another auction date for August 22, 2017. As the registered pledgee, Laureate has the right to receive the sale proceeds of the noncontrolling interest holders' equity interest, up to the amount owing to it under the equity pledge, in priority to other creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders. As of both June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Laureate’s net carrying value of the encumbered real property was approximately $12,000. South Africa Transactions between Laureate and Noncontrolling Interest Holder of Monash South Africa (MSA) During the first quarter of 2017, we received an additional loan from the noncontrolling interest holder of MSA in the amount of $943. The loan matures in January 2026 and bears interest at a rate of 10.5% per annum.

Related Party Transactions

Corporate

Santa Fe University of Arts and Design (SFUAD)

SFUAD is owned by Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership (Wengen), our controlling stockholder. Laureate is affiliated with SFUAD, but does not own or control it and, accordingly, SFUAD is not included in the financial results of Laureate. On May 18, 2016, SFUAD announced that it had signed an agreement to be acquired by a private education provider with a global network of colleges and universities that focus on art and design education. This agreement was terminated by the parties thereto on March 29, 2017. On April 12, 2017, SFUAD announced that it plans to close after the end of the 2017-2018 academic year and will work with its students on a phased teach-out and transfer process for students who are eligible to complete their degrees by May 2018 and appropriate transfer opportunities for other students. The teach-out plan is subject to approval by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Transactions between Laureate and Affiliates, Directors and a Former Executive

During the first quarter of 2017, Laureate made a charitable contribution of $2,000 to the Sylvan Laureate Foundation, a non-profit foundation that supports programs designed to promote education and best practices and principles in teaching. The payment was accrued in prior periods.

An affiliate of one of the Wengen investors acted as a financial adviser in connection with our IPO and we paid this affiliate $1,500 for its services during the six months ended June 30, 2017.

During the six months ended June 30, 2017, we made payments of approximately $580 in the aggregate to members of our Board for their services as directors.

During the first quarter of 2017, the Company paid in full a note payable to a former executive of approximately $4,280, which represented the original note payable of $3,771 plus accrued interest. As previously disclosed in our 2016 Form 10-K, the note payable was issued in 2014 in exchange for vested share-based compensation and was payable upon consummation of the IPO.

EMEAA

Morocco

Transactions between Laureate and Noncontrolling Interest Holder of Laureate Somed Education Holding SA (LSEH)

LSEH is 60% owned and consolidated by Laureate and is the entity that operates Université Internationale de Casablanca, our institution in Morocco. The 40% noncontrolling interest holder of LSEH has made loans to LSEH, and as of December 31, 2016, we had a related party payable of $7,936 to the noncontrolling interest holder for the outstanding balance of and accrued interest on these loans, all of which was recorded as current.

During the six months ended June 30, 2017, the maturity dates of five loans made by the noncontrolling interest holder were extended. The first loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in December 2013 and the maturity date was extended from December 2016 to December 2018. The second loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in March 2015 and the maturity date was extended from September 2016 to September 2019. The third loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in June 2015 and the maturity date was extended from December 2016 to December 2018. The fourth loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in April 2014 and the maturity date was extended from April 2017 to April 2019. The fifth loan was made by the noncontrolling interest holder in October 2015 and the maturity date was extended from April 2017 to October 2019. The total outstanding balance of these five loans, including accrued interest, at the extension dates was Moroccan Dirham (MAD) 74,262 (approximately US $7,604 at June 30, 2017). Each of these loans bears an interest rate of 4.5% per annum.

As of June 30, 2017, we had total related party payables of $8,476 to the noncontrolling interest holder of LSEH for the outstanding balance on these loans plus accrued interest, of which $844 and $7,632 was recorded as current and noncurrent, respectively.

China

Transactions between China businesses and Noncontrolling Interest Holders of HIEU

A portion of real property that HIEU has paid for, including land and buildings, is mortgaged as collateral for corporate loans that the entity controlled by certain noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU has entered into with third-party banks. In December 2013, the noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU signed an agreement with Laureate and committed to: (1) remove all encumbrances on HIEU’s real property no later than September 30, 2014 and (2) cause the entity to complete the transfer of title relating to the encumbered real property to HIEU no later than December 31, 2014. Under the terms of this agreement, the noncontrolling interest holders also agreed to pay any and all transfer taxes, fees and other costs that are required in connection with the removal of the encumbrances and the transfer of titles, which are estimated to be approximately $2,000. As collateral for their performance under the agreement, the noncontrolling interest holders pledged to Laureate their 30% equity interest in the sponsoring entity of HIEU. The noncontrolling interest holders of HIEU have not completed their commitment to remove the encumbrances over the real property or completed the transfer of the real property. Under the terms of the agreement, Laureate has the right to receive the sale proceeds of the noncontrolling interest holders' 30% equity interest, up to the amount owing to it under the equity pledge, in priority to other creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders. On February 22, 2016, certain creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders initiated an enforcement process against the noncontrolling interest holders. The creditors have requested the court to auction a portion of the equity interest of the noncontrolling interest holders. The court auction was originally scheduled for March 2017; however no bids were received at the originally scheduled court auction. A subsequent auction was held but no purchase of the equity interest was finalized. As a result, the court has set another auction date for August 22, 2017. As the registered pledgee, Laureate has the right to receive the sale proceeds of the noncontrolling interest holders' equity interest, up to the amount owing to it under the equity pledge, in priority to other creditors of the noncontrolling interest holders. As of both June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Laureate’s net carrying value of the encumbered real property was approximately $12,000.

South Africa

Transactions between Laureate and Noncontrolling Interest Holder of Monash South Africa (MSA)

During the first quarter of 2017, we received an additional loan from the noncontrolling interest holder of MSA in the amount of $943. The loan matures in January 2026 and bears interest at a rate of 10.5% per annum.