First prize … a 12-month stay in Aberdeen

But in Ghana, one lucky person will be plucked from thousands of applicants and come through a range of tasks to hear the words: “You’ve won a scholarship to study for a postgraduate degree at Robert Gordon University.”

A place at the Aberdeen university is the top prize awaiting hopeful contestants paricipating in The Challenge, the Ghana version of hit TV show The Apprentice.

In the UK the reality show winner is awarded a £250,000 prize fund that will be invested into their own business with the backing and mentoring of Lord Sugar.

In the US, the successful candidate wins a one-year, $250,000 starting salary running one of business magnate Donald Trump’s companies.

The last person standing in the 12-week Ghana show can look forward to choosing a one-year postgraduate masters course with all tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses paid, as well as travel from Ghana to the North East of Scotland.

The Challenge, which is produced by the British Council, is a huge prime-time hit in the African country, drawing in 4.5 million viewers each week.

RGU was given the opportunity to take part because of its international reputation in oil and gas and business education, areas of particular interest given Ghana’s buoyant oil sector.

Julie Deighton of RGU’s directorate for marketing, communications and student recruitment, said: “This allows us to directly provide an opportunity to a young person who may well become one of Ghana’s future captains of industry.”

From the initial thousands of applications, 25 are chosen who have to demonstrate “academic excellence, leadership competencies, as well as character and creativity”.

These 25 undergo a series of interviews by a panel which will select the 12 finalists for the reality TV show. They will live together in a house until the winner is announced in January.

The battle to get to Aberdeen will involve seven key tasks including a sales challenge, charity task, and pitching a product. Each week one of the contestants is evicted by a panel of judges and by public vote.

As the show progresses to the final it’s expected that staff from Robert Gordon University will participate directly in some of the tasks.

Diana Yanney, corporate affairs manager at the British Council in Ghana said: “It’s a tough programme for the candidates but this is an innovative and dynamic way to demonstrate the standards needed to come and study in the UK, and we’re proud that former winners who have won the scholarships have returned to great jobs back here in Ghana, building stronger links between the UK and Ghana in the process.”