Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	$ 1,001,802		$ 1,017,196		$ 1,623,598	$ 1,649,412
Depreciation and amortization					97,384	130,164
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	213,697		218,220		129,168	125,599
Net income	779,616	$ 194,265	223,956	$ 171,545	973,881	395,501
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	781,592		224,412		972,835	393,291
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	236,412		249,871		236,412	249,871	$ 388,490
Current assets held for sale	187,166				187,166		306,372
Other current assets	697,281				697,281		522,271
Total current assets	1,120,859				1,120,859		1,217,133
Goodwill	1,737,455				1,737,455		1,707,089
Tradenames	1,134,648				1,134,648		1,126,244
Other intangible assets, net	2,076				2,076		25,429
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	937,884				937,884
Long-term assets held for sale	493,859				493,859		1,031,459
Other long-term assets	1,665,007				1,665,007		1,662,282
Total assets	7,091,788				7,091,788		6,769,636
Current liabilities held for sale	139,162				139,162		308,391
Other current liabilities	1,066,324				1,066,324		881,696
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	862,369				862,369
Long-term liabilities held for sale	163,859				163,859		354,293
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,740,498				1,740,498		3,159,914
Total liabilities	3,972,212				3,972,212		4,704,294
Total stockholders' equity	3,107,083	$ 2,327,906	2,115,106	$ 1,767,473	3,107,083	2,115,106	2,050,946	$ 1,587,282
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	3,118,214				3,118,214		2,061,079
Brazil
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	413,536				413,536		406,452
Mexico
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	517,391				517,391		498,219
Andean
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	259,337				259,337		254,259
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	69,692				69,692		158,387
Current assets held for sale	102,792				102,792		183,880
Other current assets	251,556				251,556		141,346
Total current assets	424,040				424,040		483,613
Goodwill	172,557				172,557		168,473
Tradenames	68,319				68,319		66,929
Other intangible assets, net	0				0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	76,620				76,620
Long-term assets held for sale	99,967				99,967		165,087
Other long-term assets	292,116				292,116		312,711
Total assets	1,133,619				1,133,619		1,196,813
Current liabilities held for sale	34,066				34,066		101,320
Other current liabilities	156,659				156,659		106,657
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	65,836				65,836
Long-term liabilities held for sale	28,939				28,939		42,265
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	33,177				33,177		24,502
Total liabilities	318,677				318,677		274,744
Total stockholders' equity	814,942				814,942		922,069
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	814,942				814,942		921,747
Operating Segments | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	197,106		225,599		307,074	348,391
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,189,061				1,189,061		1,011,391
Operating Segments | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	162,455		159,645		318,919	315,543
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,300,938				1,300,938		971,309
Operating Segments | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	422,994		409,546		561,937	544,600
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,870,780				1,870,780		$ 1,608,406
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	148,472		150,590		204,922	205,626
Depreciation and amortization	6,890		6,490		12,986	13,235
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	44,403		33,918		17,069	(5,508)
Net income	41,785		39,042		17,585	4,047
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	41,785		39,042		17,585	4,047
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0		0		0	0
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	(17)		(22)		(34)	(40)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0		86		0	86
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	(99)		(71)		(196)	(228)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	148,472		150,504		204,922	205,540
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	44,519		34,011		17,299	(5,240)
Other operations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	213,697		218,220		129,168	125,599
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	699,745		238,626		654,533	220,359
Corporate and eliminations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Net income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ 40,062		$ (53,256)		$ 300,717	$ 168,885