Stockholders' Equity - Schedule of Stockholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($) shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 2,050,946,000	$ 1,587,282,000
Adoption of accounting standards			$ 28,944,000	$ 5,074,000
Balance, adjusted			2,079,890,000	1,592,356,000
Non-cash stock compensation	3,149,000	(3,756,000)
Vesting of restricted stock, net of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding	(1,420,000)	(803,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	(625,000)	581,000
Change in noncontrolling interests		(21,043,000)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	224,000	38,000
Net income	194,265,000	171,545,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax of $0	49,551,000	83,369,000
Unrealized gain on derivatives, net of tax of $0		2,210,000
Unrealized gain on derivatives, net of tax of $0	2,609,000
Minimum pension liability adjustment	0	376,000
Balance, end of period	2,327,906,000	1,767,473,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment, tax	0	0
Unrealized gain on derivative instruments, tax	0	0
Pension adjustment, tax	0	0
Additional paid-in capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	3,703,796,000	3,446,206,000
Balance, adjusted			3,703,796,000	3,446,206,000
Non-cash stock compensation	3,149,000	(3,756,000)
Vesting of restricted stock, net of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding	(1,421,000)	(804,000)
Change in noncontrolling interests		(468,000)
Balance, end of period	3,705,787,000	3,383,778,000
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	(530,919,000)	(946,236,000)
Adoption of accounting standards			28,944,000	5,074,000
Balance, adjusted			(501,975,000)	(941,162,000)
Net income	191,243,000	168,879,000
Balance, end of period	(310,732,000)	(772,283,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, Laureate Education, Inc
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	(1,112,695,000)	(925,556,000)
Balance, adjusted			(1,112,695,000)	(925,556,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax of $0	49,521,000	83,648,000
Unrealized gain on derivatives, net of tax of $0		2,210,000
Unrealized gain on derivatives, net of tax of $0	2,609,000
Minimum pension liability adjustment		376,000
Balance, end of period	(1,060,565,000)	(839,322,000)
Non-controlling interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	(10,133,000)	12,118,000
Balance, adjusted			(10,133,000)	12,118,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	(625,000)	581,000
Change in noncontrolling interests		(20,575,000)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	224,000	38,000
Net income	3,022,000	2,666,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax of $0	30,000	(279,000)
Balance, end of period	$ (7,482,000)	$ (5,451,000)
Class A Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance of shares outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	107,450
Balance of shares outstanding, end of period (in shares)	107,783
Class A Common Stock | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance of shares outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	107,450	55,052
Balance, beginning of period	$ 430,000	$ 220,000
Balance, adjusted			430,000	220,000
Conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares (in shares)	8	59
Vesting of restricted stock, net of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding (in shares)	325	145
Vesting of restricted stock, net of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Balance of shares outstanding, end of period (in shares)	107,783	55,256
Balance, end of period	$ 431,000	$ 221,000
Class B Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance of shares outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	116,865
Balance of shares outstanding, end of period (in shares)	116,857
Class B Common Stock | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance of shares outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)	116,865	132,443
Balance, beginning of period	$ 467,000	$ 530,000
Balance, adjusted			$ 467,000	$ 530,000
Conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares (in shares)	(8)	(59)
Vesting of restricted stock, net of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding (in shares)	0	59
Balance of shares outstanding, end of period (in shares)	116,857	132,443
Balance, end of period	$ 467,000	$ 530,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest and equity	263,000	(76,000)
Accretion of Series A Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock	263,000	(76,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity | Additional paid-in capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest and equity	263,000	(76,000)
Series A Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest and equity	$ 0	(57,324,000)
Accretion of Series A Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock		$ (57,324,000)