Khenpo Choying Dorjee was born a student of the Khyentse lineage. He was also a devoted student of the late Khen Rinpoche Kunga Wangchuk. He joined Dzongsar Institute in 1992, when it was still located in Bir. In 1998 he was granted his shastra degree in Buddhism, which is the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. He received his archaya title, which is the equivalent of an MA, in 2001. He received his khenpo title in 2002 and received his khenpo degree, which is the equivalent of a PhD in Buddhism, in 2004. Khenpo worked as a revision teacher (kyorpon) at the shedra from 1999 to 2000 and continued as a head teacher until 2013. In 2010, he was appointed as a teacher of Sakya Dungsay Avikrita Rinpoche. He served as assistant principal of the shedra from 2008 to 2012, and Rinpoche appointed him to be DKCLI’s head principal for the 2013 to 2016 term. From 2006 to 2007 he studied English at the British Council in Singapore. In 2011, Rinpoche sent him to UC Berkeley as a visiting scholar, sponsored by KF.