<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001005357-04-000001
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040116
<FILING-DATE>20040520
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>POLLOCK R WILLIAM
<CIK>0001005357
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-22844
<FILM-NUMBER>04821109
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>EUROPA RESIDENCE
<STREET2>PLACE DES MOULINS
<CITY>MONTE CARLO 98000 MO
<STATE>O9
<ZIP>00000
<PHONE>4152161075
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>LAUREATE EDUCATION, INC.
<CIK>0000912766
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8200
<IRS-NUMBER>521492296
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1001 FLEET STREET
<CITY>BALTIMORE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>21202
<PHONE>4108438000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1001 FLEET STREET
<CITY>BALTIMORE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>21202
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>SYLVAN LEARNING SYSTEMS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19930929
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000912766</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LAUREATE EDUCATION, INC.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>laur</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001005357</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>POLLOCK R WILLIAM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1001 FLEET STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BALTIMORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.2265</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2999843</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held via ownership in Drake International BV and Drake Personnell New Zealand</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>R. William Pollock</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-05-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
