Derivative, Embedded Derivative, Probability Of Conversion Of Convertible Security

No definition available.

Name:	laur_DerivativeEmbeddedDerivativeProbabilityOfConversionOfConvertibleSecurity
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Derivative, Swap Type, Exchange Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	laur_DerivativeSwapTypeExchangeRate
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, expected to be settled after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAssetsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The premium (cost) of a hedge, expensed during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeCostOfHedge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4CC
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL109998890-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, expected to be settled within one year or normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, expected to be settled after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of derivative instruments of a particular group held by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of foreign currency exchange rate derivatives held by the entity at the reporting date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfForeignCurrencyDerivativesHeld
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of derivative instruments, including options, swaps, futures, and forward contracts, held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_SwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EquityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CurrencyAxis=currency_EUR
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=laur_Swap1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=laur_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMaturingApril82019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CurrencyAxis=currency_CLP
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=laur_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMaturingDecember12024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=laur_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMaturingJuly12025Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CurrencyAxis=currency_MXN
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CurrencyAxis=currency_AUD
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Derivative Instruments - Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments (Details)					3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 04, 2019 USD ($) $ / €	May 15, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 02, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 16, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) swap $ / €	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 AUD ($) swap	Sep. 30, 2019 MXN ($) swap	May 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / €	May 31, 2019 EUR (€) $ / €	May 01, 2019 swap	Apr. 30, 2019 EUR (€) swap	Dec. 31, 2018 EUR (€) swap $ / €	Apr. 23, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€) swap	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Fair value of derivative assets					$ 0		$ 0	$ 3,259,000
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments:
Derivative [Line Items]
Realized gain (loss)							7,277,000	$ 88,292,000	$ 28,656,000
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of currency derivatives held (derivative instrument) \| swap								2						9		2
Derivative liability, current					0		0	$ 4,021,000
Derivative liability, noncurrent					0		0	6,656,000
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Foreign Exchange Forward
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of currency derivatives held (derivative instrument) \| swap																		6
Derivative, notional amount \| €																		€ 200,000,000
Unrealized gain on derivatives				$ 9,960,000
Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Contingent redemption features - Series A Preferred
Derivative [Line Items]
Realized gain (loss)							0	98,180,000	$ 33,294,000
Fair value of derivative assets																	$ 140,300,000
Probability of conversion of convertible security																	100.00%
Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of currency derivatives held (derivative instrument) \| swap															7
Derivative, notional amount	$ 597,149,000											$ 423,003,000	€ 532,000,000		€ 375,000,000
Derivative, swap type, variable price \| $ / €	1.122461											1.128007	1.128007
Unrealized gain on derivatives	$ 565,000	$ (1,644,000)
Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Swap 1
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount								$ 314,573,000								€ 275,000,000
Derivative, swap type, variable price \| $ / €								1.1439								1.1439
Unrealized gain on derivatives			$ (5,088,000)
Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract, Maturing April 8, 2019
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount								$ 310,750,000								€ 275,000,000
Derivative, swap type, variable price \| $ / €								1.13								1.13
Derivative, cost of hedge			$ 980,000
Chile, Pesos \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount																			$ 31,000
Derivative, cost of hedge						$ 8,200,000
Derivative, number of instruments held (derivative instrument) \| swap																			4
Chile, Pesos \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract, Maturing December 1, 2024
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, number of instruments held (derivative instrument) \| swap																			1
Chile, Pesos \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract, Maturing July 1, 2025
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, number of instruments held (derivative instrument) \| swap																			3
Mexico, Pesos \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of currency derivatives held (derivative instrument) \| swap										3	3
Derivative, notional amount					$ 23,000,000		$ 23,000,000				$ 453,146,000
Derivative, swap type, variable price					0.0508		0.0508
Realized gain (loss)					$ (583,000)
Australia, Dollars \| Derivatives Not Designated As Hedging Instruments: \| Cross Currency Swaps
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of currency derivatives held (derivative instrument) \| swap										2	2
Derivative, notional amount					7,443,000		$ 7,443,000			$ 11,000,000
Derivative, swap type, variable price										0.6766	0.6766
Realized gain (loss)					$ 45,000