Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	$ 621,796	$ 632,216
Depreciation and amortization	47,644	67,762
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(84,529)	(92,621)
Net loss	194,265	171,545
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	191,243	168,879
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	278,782	305,890	$ 388,490
Current assets held for sale	308,650		306,372
Other current assets	813,029		522,271
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $590,857 and $483,613, see Note 2)	1,400,461		1,217,133
Goodwill	1,738,228		1,707,089
Tradenames	1,134,342		1,126,244
Other intangible assets, net	2,476		25,429
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	952,890
Long-term assets held for sale	961,212		1,031,459
Other long-term assets	1,643,912		1,662,282
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,360,948 and $1,196,813, see Note 2)	7,833,521		6,769,636
Current liabilities held for sale	315,521		308,391
Other current liabilities	1,286,151		881,696
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	871,588
Long-term liabilities held for sale	374,179		354,293
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	2,644,267		3,159,914
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $521,229 and $274,744, see Note 2)	5,491,706		4,704,294
Total stockholders' equity	2,327,906	1,767,473	2,050,946	$ 1,587,282
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	2,335,388		2,061,079
Brazil
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	409,845		406,452
Mexico
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	520,432		498,219
Andean
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	259,040		254,259
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	75,019		158,387
Current assets held for sale	194,353		183,880
Other current assets	321,485		141,346
Total current assets (includes VIE amounts of $590,857 and $483,613, see Note 2)	590,857		483,613
Goodwill	172,675		168,473
Tradenames	68,273		66,929
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	76,149
Long-term assets held for sale	170,787		165,087
Other long-term assets	282,207		312,711
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,360,948 and $1,196,813, see Note 2)	1,360,948		1,196,813
Current liabilities held for sale	91,912		101,320
Other current liabilities	266,456		106,657
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	65,649
Long-term liabilities held for sale	63,847		42,265
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	33,365		24,502
Total liabilities (includes VIE amounts of $521,229 and $274,744, see Note 2)	521,229		274,744
Total stockholders' equity	839,719		922,069
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	839,323		921,747
Operating Segments | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	109,969	122,792
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,360,948 and $1,196,813, see Note 2)	1,173,337		1,011,391
Operating Segments | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	156,464	155,899
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,360,948 and $1,196,813, see Note 2)	1,305,525		971,309
Operating Segments | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	138,942	135,054
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets (includes VIE amounts of $1,360,948 and $1,196,813, see Note 2)	1,971,141		$ 1,608,406
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	56,450	55,036
Depreciation and amortization	6,096	6,744
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(27,335)	(39,426)
Net loss	(24,200)	(34,994)
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(24,200)	(34,994)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0	0
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(18)	(18)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0	0
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(97)	(157)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	56,450	55,036
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(27,220)	(39,251)
Other operations
Operating loss, by segment:
Operating loss	(84,529)	(92,621)
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(45,211)	(18,268)
Corporate and eliminations
Operating loss, by segment:
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ 260,654	$ 222,141