Access to International Research Collaboration (IRC) is limited for part-time and racially minoritized doctoral students. This study evaluates a virtual research symposium hosted by a U.S. institution and German partner university to examine its influence on participants’ perceived intercultural competence (IC) and research skills. Participants included 31 doctoral student presenters preparing to become future teacher educators from programs differing in structure and demographics: a highly structured U.S. program and a German apprenticeship model. Using a convergent mixed methods design, data were collected via surveys and semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated a differential impact: participation resulted in non-significant changes in perceived IC, which qualitative data linked to insufficient asynchronous interaction. In contrast, the symposium significantly enhanced research skills, particularly familiarity with research poster presentation characteristics. The study concludes that while virtual IRCs support accessible skill development, designs should include structured, synchronous components to foster cross-cultural competence.