Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	$ 1,277,439	$ 1,231,910	$ 2,133,372	$ 2,138,444
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	243,850	210,568	180,983	199,411
Net income (loss)	117,098	349,238	(3,256)	246,792
Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	116,386	347,389	(6,422)	244,222
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	367,163	384,768	367,163	384,768	$ 464,965	$ 458,673
Other current assets	875,319		875,319		650,836
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $350,678 and $322,210, see Note 2)	1,242,482		1,242,482		1,115,801
Goodwill	2,020,620		2,020,620		1,934,464
Tradenames	1,332,523		1,332,523		1,307,633
Other intangible assets, net	44,735		44,735		46,700
Other long-term assets	2,729,376		2,729,376		2,657,872
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,340,653 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	7,369,736		7,369,736		7,062,470
Current liabilities	1,415,202		1,415,202		1,440,232
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	4,249,375		4,249,375		4,601,013
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $405,181 and $424,297, see Note 2)	5,664,577		5,664,577		6,041,245
Total stockholders' equity	1,447,607		1,447,607		664,392
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	1,412,953		1,412,953		632,210
LatAm
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	1,308,430		1,308,430		1,235,952
EMEAA
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	193,792		193,792		180,720
Operating Segments
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	1,277,439	1,231,910	2,133,372	2,138,444
Operating Segments | LatAm
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	831,118	733,255	1,252,554	1,137,152
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,340,653 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	4,099,520		4,099,520		3,932,679
Operating Segments | EMEAA
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	245,480	261,084	472,665	505,097
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,340,653 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	1,355,507		1,355,507		1,333,297
Other operations
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Depreciation and amortization	66,950	69,704	131,465	135,911
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	243,850	210,568	180,983	199,411
Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	183,817	277,470	214,374	325,580
Corporate and eliminations
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	(3,754)	(4,085)	(4,732)	(5,886)
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(109,386)	61,785	(241,815)	(60,177)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	114,684		114,684		169,074
Other current assets	235,994		235,994		153,136
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $350,678 and $322,210, see Note 2)	350,678		350,678		322,210
Goodwill	188,620		188,620		181,669
Tradenames	106,005		106,005		104,117
Other intangible assets, net	0		0		0
Other long-term assets	695,350		695,350		701,117
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,340,653 and $1,309,113, see Note 2)	1,340,653		1,340,653		1,309,113
Current liabilities	295,819		295,819		320,922
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	109,362		109,362		103,375
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $405,181 and $424,297, see Note 2)	405,181		405,181		424,297
Total stockholders' equity	935,472		935,472		884,816
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	915,158		915,158		$ 866,997
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	220,564	185,456	350,463	314,998
Depreciation and amortization	12,651	12,974	25,473	25,768
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	39,533	6,901	10,341	(22,933)
Net income (loss)	43,152	9,486	23,040	(20,080)
Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	41,955	8,134	21,019	(21,181)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | LatAm
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	153,262	112,223	216,948	169,430
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	31,514	(2,009)	(9,554)	(42,598)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | EMEAA
Selected Statements of Operations information:
Revenues, by segment:	67,302	73,233	133,515	145,568
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	$ 8,019	$ 8,910	$ 19,895	$ 19,665