After marriage, he went to Japan to study economics at Waseta University, but transferred after one year to the Service School of the Japanese Army.
兩年後由哥哥作主成婚，婚後一年遠赴日本，先在早稻田大學念了一年經濟課程；後來由於盤纏用盡，加上志趣不合，於是寫信向永春同鄉李俊承兄弟求助，繼而轉入日本陸軍士官學校。兩年半後，余承堯學成歸國受聘至黃埔軍校擔任戰術教官。