Dispositions (Details) € in Thousands, د.م. in Thousands, ¥ in Thousands, $ in Thousands, $ in Thousands															9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 CNY (¥)	Aug. 06, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 27, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 27, 2018 HKD ($)	Apr. 13, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 13, 2018 MAD (د.م.)	Apr. 12, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 12, 2018 EUR (€)	Feb. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 CNY (¥)	Jan. 11, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 11, 2018 EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 29, 2017 MAD (د.م.)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Repayments of debt															$ 838,542	$ 2,695,511
Cash and restricted cash acquired	$ 589,138														589,138	$ 486,270	$ 532,782		$ 474,337
Lines of credit | Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement | Term Loan
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Repayments of debt										$ 350,000
European University–Cyprus Ltd And Laureate Italy S.r.L. | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business													$ 275,500	€ 232,000
Net proceeds from dispositions													244,300
Settlement of working capital													$ 4,100
Gain (loss) on sale of business															218,000
LEI Lie Ying Limited | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business											$ 128,800
Net proceeds from dispositions											$ 110,800
Gain (loss) on sale of business															99,500
First payment due after the closing date											6 months	6 months
Proceeds from first holdback payment				$ 18,117	$ 142,221							¥ 120,000
Second payment due after the closing date											12 months	12 months
Proceeds from second holdback payment	9,000	¥ 60,000
Receivables from sale of business, noncurrent	25,900														25,900
Amounts of material contingent liabilities remaining	$ 15,000														15,000
LEI Lie Ying Limited | Affiliated Entity | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal transaction fees											$ 16,000
Laureate Germany Holding GmbH | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sale of business															(5,500)
Capital contribution								$ 3,600
Transfer taxes paid								400
Laureate Somed Holding | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sale of business															$ 17,400
Laureate Somed Holding | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business						$ 32,500	د.م. 300,000
Net proceeds from dispositions						$ 31,100
Consideration received from dispositions | د.م.																		د.م. 500,000
LEI European Investments B.V. (LEI BV) | Laureate Germany Holding GmbH | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business								1,200	€ 1,000
Laureate Germany
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash and restricted cash acquired								$ 12,900
La Société Maroc Emirats Arabes Unis de Développement | Laureate Somed Holding | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, noncontrolling owners, ownership percent								40.00%
Payment Guarantee | Construction Contracts | Kendall College
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sale of business			$ (17,000)
Payment obligation, construction contract			$ 14,000
Guarantor obligation, term			P10Y
Payment obligation, working capital adjustment			$ 2,100
Payment Guarantee | Remaining Lease Costs Minus Sublease Income | Kendall College
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Value of guarantor obligation			$ 24,000
Laureate Somed Holding | Laureate Middle East Holdings B.V. | Laureate Somed Holding | Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent								60.00%