Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Receivable Agreement Period

No definition available.

Name:	laur_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationReceivableAgreementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operations, Consideration Receivable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	laur_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsConsiderationReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operations, Contingent Consideration Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	laur_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsContingentConsiderationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operations, Percent Of Ownership Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	laur_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsPercentOfOwnershipSold
Namespace Prefix:	laur_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

+ 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

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226348&loc=d3e2420-110228

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amounts of material contingent liabilities, for example, but not limited to, product or environmental liabilities or litigation, that remain with the entity despite the disposal of the disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Z.5.Q2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872618&loc=d3e7384-122677

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14472-108349

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14453-108349

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118943654&loc=d3e12021-110248

Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14394-108349

Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of consideration received or receivable for the disposal of assets and liabilities, including discontinued operation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) from sale and disposal of integrated set of activities and assets capable of being conducted and managed for purpose of providing return in form of dividend, lower cost, or other economic benefit to investor, owner, member and participant.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-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

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4582445-111684

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=laur_EducationHoldingCostRicaSRLMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=laur_CostaRicaOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationsDisposedOfBySaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContingentConsiderationByTypeAxis=laur_CertainPerformanceMetricsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=laur_ExeterStreetHoldingsLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=laur_NewSchoolOfArchitectureAndDesignLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Dispositions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
Dispositions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 06, 2020	Jan. 10, 2020	Jan. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss on impairment of assets				$ 3,768		$ 0
Education Holding Cost Rica, S.R.L. \| Costa Rica Operations \| 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		$ 15
Loss on impairment of assets					$ 25
Gain (loss) on sale of business			$ 17,200
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested		3,300
Education Holding Cost Rica, S.R.L. \| Costa Rica Operations \| Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale \| Certain Performance Metrics
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Consideration received from dispositions		$ 7
Contingent consideration period		2 years
Amounts of material contingent liabilities remaining		$ 30
Exeter Street Holdings, LLC \| NewSchool of Architecture and Design, LLC \| 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	$ 7,300
Gain (loss) on sale of business				5,700
Ownership percent	100.00%
Consideration receivable, ratably, quarterly basis over next four years				$ 2,800
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Receivable Agreement Period	4 years