Dispositions (Details) € in Thousands, R in Thousands, $ in Thousands, $ in Thousands									3 Months Ended
	Aug. 27, 2019 USD ($)	May 31, 2019 USD ($)	May 09, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 08, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2019 USD ($) campus	Feb. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2018 HKD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	May 31, 2019 EUR (€)	Apr. 08, 2019 ZAR (R)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash and restricted cash										$ 507,749			$ 583,572	$ 576,261	$ 525,745
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			145,800
Net proceeds from dispositions			$ 77,300
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		$ 906,000
Net proceeds from dispositions		760,000
Gain (loss) on sale of business		615,000
Tax benefit from disposition		30,000
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
Laureate I B.V. | Education Turkey B.V. | Affiliated Entity | 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	$ 90,000
Proceeds from sale of business	75,000
Gain (loss) on sale of business	(37,000)
Debt assumed	$ 15,000
Ownership percent	100.00%
Bilgi Egitim Ve Kultur Vakfi (Bilgi Foundation)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash and restricted cash	$ 89,000
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					22,200
Net proceeds from dispositions					18,800
Gain (loss) on sale of business				$ 2,300	10,800
Net of debt assumed by purchaser					$ 26,400
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