Dispositions (Details) € in Thousands, R in Thousands, $ in Thousands, $ in Thousands								6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2019 USD ($)	May 09, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 08, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2019 USD ($) campus	Feb. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 HKD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	May 31, 2019 EUR (€)	Apr. 08, 2019 ZAR (R)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
St. Augustine | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions					$ 400,000
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]
Gain (loss) on sale of business								$ 13,700
Proceeds from second holdback payment						$ 9,100	$ 71,463
Amounts of material contingent liabilities remaining						$ 14,300
Receivables from sale of business, noncurrent								$ 25,900			$ 25,900
Monash South Africa (MSA) | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions			$ 1,100							R 15,000
Accounts payable disposed of			$ 20,200
Ownership percent			75.00%
Laureate South Africa Pty Ltd (LSA) | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions			$ 7,000							R 99,000
Monash South Africa Limited And LEI AMEA Investments B.V. | 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			9,000
Exeter Street Holdings, LLC | St. Augustine | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business					346,400
Other current assets disposed of					11,700
Accounts payable disposed of					58,100
Other current liabilities					7,200
Net proceeds from dispositions					301,800
Gain (loss) on sale of business					$ 223,000
LEI Singapore Holdings Pte Limited, Laureate I B.V.,Laureate International B.V. | Pearl Retail Solutions Private Limited | Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions		$ 145,600
Other current assets disposed of		144,600
Net proceeds from dispositions		$ 76,200
Ownership percent		10.00%
Iniciativas Culturales de Espãna S.L., (“ICE”), and Laureate I B.V | Affiliated Entity
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business	$ 908,000
Net proceeds from dispositions	762,000
Gain (loss) on sale of business	618,000
Tax benefit from disposition	33,600
Iniciativas Culturales de Espãna S.L., (“ICE”), and Laureate I B.V | Ensilis—Educação e Formação, Unipessoal, Lda | Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions	857,000								€ 770,000
Accounts payable disposed of	109,000
Stamford International University | China YuHua Education Investment Limited
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions				$ 35,300
Number of campuses | campus				3
Stamford International University | China YuHua Education Investment Limited | Affiliated Entity
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions	2,800
Debt assumed	$ 1,400			$ 4,200
Stamford International University | LEI Singapore | Affiliated Entity
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business				23,700
Net proceeds from dispositions				20,300
Gain (loss) on sale of business			$ (2,300)	10,800
Net of debt assumed by purchaser				$ 27,900
Stamford International University | LEI Singapore Holdings Pte Limited, Laureate I B.V.,Laureate International B.V. | Affiliated Entity
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on sale of business		$ 19,500