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International research programs for students offer an important opportunity to support students in developing skills in both research and intercultural competence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these programs made the shift to operating virtually, with likely impacts on program outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the approaches that program leaders used in adapting international research programs to the virtual environment and explore how these innovations could inform the design of these programs going forward. We conducted eight focus groups with over 40 U.S.-based faculty who had experience running these programs to understand the benefits, challenges, and future potential of incorporating virtual elements into international research programs for students. This paper reports the results of these focus groups and provides suggestions for future program design based on best practices and innovations identified through the development of virtual programs.