A yearlong study within the UK was undertaken to delineate the overarching differences between the UK and US engineering education systems. The study involved visits to almost 30 universities, attendance at various academic conferences, and discussions with over 200 academics and faculty. Despite our shared linguistic and historical ties, findings reveal distinct differences in both countries’ underlying philosophies and methodologies in training the next generation of engineers. This essay, the first in a series of three, presents the fundamental differences observed in the general areas of Program Structure, Students, Academics/Faculty, and External Factors. Two subsequent essays will further discuss student professional development, broadening educational access, and envisioning the future trajectory of engineering education considering these educational system differences. Overall, there is much to discuss, learn, and appreciate from each other’s systems as we continue to develop two of the world's most respected engineering education systems.