Subsequent Events (Details) $ / shares in Units, € in Thousands, د.م. in Thousands, shares in Thousands							3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 23, 2018 $ / shares shares	Apr. 13, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 13, 2018 MAD (د.م.)	Apr. 12, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 12, 2018 EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2018 student $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) student $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares	Apr. 24, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 29, 2017 MAD (د.م.)	Feb. 06, 2017 $ / shares
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Revenue							$ 65,000,000	$ 57,000,000
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Somed Holding
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Revenue									$ 11,500,000
Operating loss									(800,000)
Depreciation									1,100,000
Consideration received from dispositions | د.م.											د.م. 500,000
Number of students within the institution (student) | student						1,100
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | St. Augustine
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Revenue									89,600,000
Operating loss									(30,500,000)
Depreciation									$ 4,100,000
Number of students within the institution (student) | student							3,200
Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Germany Holding GmbH
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Capital contribution				$ 3,600,000
Transfer taxes paid				800,000
Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Somed Holding
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business		$ 32,500,000	د.م. 300,000
Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | St. Augustine
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions										$ 400,000,000
LEI European Investments B.V. (LEI BV) | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Germany Holding GmbH
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of student at the institution | student						2,600
LEI European Investments B.V. (LEI BV) | Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Germany Holding GmbH
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business				1,200,000	€ 1,000
Revenue				23,400,000
Operating loss				22,200,000
Impairment loss				16,000,000
Depreciation				$ 1,200,000
Laureate Middle East Holdings B.V. | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Somed Holding
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent									60.00%
Laureate Middle East Holdings B.V. | Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Somed Holding
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent				60.00%	60.00%
La Société Maroc Emirats Arabes Unis de Développement | Subsequent Event | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Laureate Somed Holding
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, noncontrolling owners, ownership percent				40.00%	40.00%
Class A Common Stock
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares						$ 0.004	$ 0.004		$ 0.004			$ 0.004
Class A Common Stock | Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.004
Private Placement | Series A Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock | Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of shares converted (in shares) | shares	36,143