Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	$ 773,699			$ 778,255			$ 2,367,174	$ 2,397,762
Depreciation and amortization							146,284	189,961
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	45,730			28,996			170,866	149,389
Net income	(96,794)	$ 779,616	$ 194,265	(96,684)	$ 223,956	$ 171,545	877,087	298,814
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	(95,226)			(94,789)			877,609	298,499
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	323,930			384,980			323,930	384,980	$ 387,780
Current assets held for sale	131,606						131,606		337,686
Other current assets	668,663						668,663		491,667
Total current assets	1,124,199						1,124,199		1,217,133
Goodwill	1,677,392						1,677,392		1,707,089
Tradenames	1,116,189						1,116,189		1,126,244
Other intangible assets, net	1,697						1,697		25,429
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	871,746						871,746		0
Long-term assets held for sale	448,573						448,573		1,035,197
Other long-term assets	1,584,917						1,584,917		1,658,544
Total assets	6,824,713						6,824,713		6,769,636
Current liabilities held for sale	136,634						136,634		321,520
Other current liabilities	1,239,574						1,239,574		868,567
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	800,828						800,828
Long-term liabilities held for sale	158,501						158,501		358,863
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,646,352						1,646,352		3,155,344
Total liabilities	3,981,889						3,981,889		4,704,294
Total stockholders' equity	2,830,880	$ 3,107,083	$ 2,327,906	1,971,669	$ 2,115,106	$ 1,767,473	2,830,880	1,971,669	2,050,946	$ 1,587,282
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	2,843,440						2,843,440		2,061,079
Brazil
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	378,591						378,591		406,452
Mexico
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	508,362						508,362		498,219
Andean
Balance Sheets data:
Goodwill	245,893						245,893		254,259
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Balance Sheets data:
Cash and cash equivalents	163,413						163,413		158,387
Current assets held for sale	17,586						17,586		183,880
Other current assets	233,477						233,477		141,346
Total current assets	414,476						414,476		483,613
Goodwill	162,833						162,833		168,473
Tradenames	63,731						63,731		66,929
Other intangible assets, net	0						0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	69,934						69,934
Long-term assets held for sale	69,603						69,603		165,087
Other long-term assets	272,957						272,957		312,711
Total assets	1,053,534						1,053,534		1,196,813
Current liabilities held for sale	12,337						12,337		101,320
Other current liabilities	209,573						209,573		106,657
Long-term operating leases, less current portion	59,948						59,948
Long-term liabilities held for sale	30,833						30,833		42,265
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	31,610						31,610		24,502
Total liabilities	344,301						344,301		274,744
Total stockholders' equity	709,233						709,233		922,069
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	709,233						709,233		921,747
Operating Segments | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	114,055			121,089			421,129	469,480
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,072,447						1,072,447		1,011,391
Operating Segments | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	145,790			148,325			464,709	463,868
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,284,743						1,284,743		971,309
Operating Segments | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	307,270			299,613			869,207	844,213
Balance Sheets data:
Total assets	1,922,829						1,922,829		$ 1,608,406
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	120,746			119,888			325,668	325,512
Depreciation and amortization	6,521			6,163			19,507	19,398
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	23,561			12,817			40,629	7,309
Net income	25,510			18,812			43,094	22,860
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	25,510			18,812			43,094	22,860
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Brazil
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0			0			0	0
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	81			(16)			46	(56)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Mexico
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	0			4			0	89
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	(96)			(121)			(292)	(349)
Operating Segments | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary | Andean
Revenues, by segment:
Revenues	120,746			119,884			325,668	325,423
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	23,576			12,954			40,875	7,714
Other operations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Operating income	45,730			28,996			170,866	149,389
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	33,432			21,564			687,966	241,920
Corporate and eliminations
Operating income (loss), by segment:
Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.	$ (154,168)			$ (135,165)			$ 146,549	$ 33,719