US Citizen applying for JW202 Visa in UK

I'm a US Citizen living in America, and I want to visit the UK in January before heading to China from the UK mid-February. I will be visiting China on a 5-month teaching internship through a JW202.
I have been told by the program coordinator in Beijing that I would be able to apply for the visa in the UK, even though I am not a UK citizen. However, I have had conflicting information from different sources. Can anyone advise on if I can apply for it in the UK?