Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	$ 787,102	$ 818,601	$ 2,436,514	$ 2,434,687
Depreciation and amortization			189,961	199,394
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	25,576	24,859	151,175	101,877
Net income	(96,684)	(103,490)	298,814	(106,745)
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(94,789)	(97,959)	298,499	(104,380)
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	392,348	299,010	392,348	299,010	$ 320,567
Current assets held for sale	346,702		346,702		324,668
Other current assets	715,437		715,437		643,459
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $642,133 and $407,315, see Note 2)	1,454,487		1,454,487		1,288,694
Goodwill	1,709,586		1,709,586		1,828,365
Tradenames	1,130,186		1,130,186		1,167,302
Other intangible assets, net	25,455		25,455		35,779
Long-term assets held for sale	1,007,344		1,007,344		1,224,672
Other long-term assets	1,663,478		1,663,478		1,846,473
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,334,870 and $1,419,579, see Note 2)	6,990,536		6,990,536		7,391,285
Current liabilities held for sale	394,229		394,229		451,569
Other current liabilities	1,143,036		1,143,036		923,020
Long-term liabilities held for sale	353,338		353,338		405,747
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	3,115,595		3,115,595		3,609,670
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $382,380 and $449,561, see Note 2)	5,006,198		5,006,198		5,390,006
Total stockholders' equity	1,971,667		1,971,667		1,587,282
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	1,983,336		1,983,336		1,575,164
Brazil
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	374,955		374,955		493,373
Mexico
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	524,328		524,328		503,373
Andean
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	256,404		256,404		272,181
Operating Segments | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	121,089	170,497	469,480	547,971
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,334,870 and $1,419,579, see Note 2)	989,206		989,206		1,256,364
Operating Segments | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	148,325	141,175	463,868	451,993
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,334,870 and $1,419,579, see Note 2)	1,024,731		1,024,731		969,400
Operating Segments | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	299,613	295,160	844,213	779,135
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,334,870 and $1,419,579, see Note 2)	1,737,234		1,737,234		1,714,819
Other operations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	25,576	24,859	151,175	101,877
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	21,564	40,366	241,920	278,804
Corporate and eliminations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(135,165)	(149,253)	33,719	(391,492)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	146,927		146,927		100,971
Current assets held for sale	170,886		170,886		170,229
Other current assets	324,320		324,320		136,115
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $642,133 and $407,315, see Note 2)	642,133		642,133		407,315
Goodwill	174,600		174,600		183,812
Tradenames	69,107		69,107		74,484
Other intangible assets, net	0		0		0
Long-term assets held for sale	151,310		151,310		369,375
Other long-term assets	297,720		297,720		384,593
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,334,870 and $1,419,579, see Note 2)	1,334,870		1,334,870		1,419,579
Current liabilities held for sale	114,569		114,569		183,166
Other current liabilities	200,291		200,291		157,981
Long-term liabilities held for sale	38,696		38,696		84,760
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	28,824		28,824		23,654
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $382,380 and $449,561, see Note 2)	382,380		382,380		449,561
Total stockholders' equity	952,490		952,490		970,018
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	952,317		952,317		$ 948,966
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	119,888	114,505	325,512	300,442
Depreciation and amortization	6,163	6,626	19,398	20,397
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	12,817	6,427	7,309	(4,091)
Net income	18,812	10,928	22,860	8,308
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	18,812	10,928	22,860	8,308
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0	11	0	57
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	(16)	(23)	(56)	(30)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	4	0	89	0
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	(121)	(163)	(349)	(516)
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Operating Segments | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	119,884	114,494	325,423	300,385
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income (loss)	$ 12,954	$ 6,613	$ 7,714	$ (3,545)